A Tale Forgotten
by Ying-Fa-dono
Summary: There are many stories told within the worlds of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. This is the tale of Anna Galen. Obediant daughter turned prisoner, prisoner turned escapist, escapist to lover, lover to the mother of the savior of the world. reviews are loved!
1. Engagment

**Ying-Fa: Many marvelous greetings, good friends! I am Ying-fa and this is my first Tales fic! I am super excited and so I beg of you to please read to your heart's content and enjoy the first chapter ... and review, of course.**

_**Many stories are told between the worlds of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. 4,000 years of history unfolding from the Kharlan War to the Restoration of the World. This is one of those tales. The tale of nearly lost in time. The tale of the mother of the savior of the world.**_

"Anna, my love, will you marry me?"

Anna gasped and felt herself blush from head to toe. This wasn't exactly unexpected. She'd been having a sneaking suspicion about this for some time. He had been dropping subtle hints for awhile . . .

But why, why, _WHY _did he have to do it in the middle of the busiest part of Luin!

Anna glanced around quickly. Absolutely everybody was staring at the pair of them with looks of surprise, giggling and whispering, some of the older ladies already gossiping away at the sight of them. It was _so embarrassing!_

There were a few moments of silence as everybody in Luin anticipated Anna's answer. She chewed her bottom lip, feeling hot all over. Oh how could he do this to her? With everybody watching like this, she felt like some kind of freak! But then again, this had to be the smartest place for him to ask for her hand in marriage. He knew her well enough to know what her weakness was.

"O-okay," she said, her voice coming out in a kind of timid squeak.

"Hm?" he asked, even though he'd heard her perfectly. "What did you say?"

"I-I said okay," said Anna, feeling mortified. "Yes, Hector, I'll marry you."

Hector shot up to his feet and embraced her. "Yes!" he announced in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "She said 'yes'! Oh, happy day!"

All of the spectators cheered and clapped for the couple. Anna's blush deepened significantly and she buried her face in Hector's coat.

Anna Galen had been courted by Hector Ramsey for the past three months. The Ramsey family was one of the wealthiest in Luin, making Hector the pick in the town. For reasons nobody was quite sure about, he'd chosen to court Anna over all the rest of the local hopefuls. Anna's father currently owned the Crossroads, the village item shop, and the family was considered as well-off-middle-class. Still, it had come as something of a surprise when Hector decided to focus his attentions on Anna. Anna had been just as shocked as everyone else but didn't dare refuse him. Hector's riches and influence was enough to intimidate anyone and there was also the bullying of her mother, who had been trying to get Anna married since she was fifteen.

What with the very public proposal, it was no surprise to Anna that her mother already knew what had happened in the square the moment she got home. Lana Galen shrieked with delight and threw her arms around her daughter.

"Engaged!" she cried. "My daughter is engaged at last! I thought it would never happen! I'm going to see my grand-babies!"

"_Moooootheeeerrr_," Anna groaned.

"Well, it's not like I didn't have reason to be concerned," said Lana, braking away from her daughter. "You're almost 26, Anna dear. It's high time you got yourself married and settled. Oh, what a joy! What a joy this is! I'm so thrilled! And in light of all these dark and unsettling times as well."

Anna felt her heart sink even lower. Her mother was referring to the Asgard Human Ranch that was currently active near there. People had been disappearing from both Luin and Asgard for months now, dragged into the Ranch by the horrible Desians, never to return. Only a few months ago, Anna's friend Beth and been stolen away to the Ranch and Beth's family had already had a funeral for her, even though they weren't certain she was dead. But they had reason. Nobody went into the Ranch and lived to tell the tale.

Anna's father, Boyd, approached her and grasped her gently by the shoulders. "I'm so very proud of you, Anna," he said. "You have stolen perhaps the most expensive heart in the village. Rejoice, for this is a very happy moment. This is a proud day indeed, very proud."

"Thank you, Father," said Anna, shyly. Her father had been hoping that Anna would accept Hector's hand more than anyone. Where her mother would have been happy with Anna marrying just anybody, her father needed it to be Hector. He would only accept the wealthiest person in Luin for his daughter to marry. That way they would have an in on the Ramsey wealth and Boyd loved money.

Hector walked in the door after Anna and beamed at her parents. "Lana, Boyd, my good friends! Or perhaps I should be calling you "mother" and "father" now!"

"Oh!" wailed Lana, running over to embrace Hector as she'd embraced Anna. "My son! Welcome to the family, Hector my dear boy!"

"A toast is in order!" called Boyd. "Lana, my love, the best we've got!"

"Yes, dear!" said Lana, running off. When she returned, she came back with four glasses and a bottle of their finest available Palma Potion. Lana filled the goblets and passed them around. Boyd raised his into the air.

"To Anna and Hector!" he announced. "May these fine young lovers be blessed by the grace of the Goddess Martel!"

"The Goddess Martel!" everyone chorused. They clinked their glasses together and each person took a swig of potion.

For the next long while, Anna merely sipped at her potion while Hector and her parents discussed the wedding and the finer details of the merging of their two families. She didn't know how she appeared on the outside, but on the inside she was filled with anxiety about marrying Hector. He was a perfect gentleman, yes, but she didn't know if she actually loved him enough to marry him.

Hector was a nice enough man. He was blonde haired and green eyed and many of the girls liked him for his looks alone. Anna just didn't like how clever and cunning he could be. The stunt in the square was just an example of what he was like. He was sneaky and was able to get people to do things they didn't necessarily want to. Hector knew full well of Anna's discomfort with people staring at her, yet he'd gone and made a scene out of his proposal.

Hector left about an hour later to start discussing plans with his own family. As he left, Lana took Anna's hands into her own and beamed at her daughter.

"Oh, Anna I'm so glad you've found a man to marry you," she said, unintentionally mean. "I have been most concerned for the longest time."

Anna groaned. "What was there to be concerned about? Am I so ugly that you thought I would never attract a man?"

"Of course not," said Lana. "I'm just happy that you finally decided to stop being so picky! Several men have tried to court you in the past and you keep rejecting them! Did you accept Hector for his wealth?"

"Mother!" Anna cried. "How shallow do you think I am?"

"Now, Anna, don't yell at your mother," said Boyd, sternly. "We've just been concerned for you, that's all. Most young girls you're age are married and settled."

"Well, I just haven't found anyone I liked," Anna grumbled.

"But now you've found Hector," said Boyd, sternly. "You like him, don't you?"

"Yes," Anna admitted. "I do like him. I just . . . well, I just . . ."

"Just?" Lana asked.

_I just don't think I love him,_ Anna said in her mind. "Well, it . . . it doesn't matter, does it?"

"No it doesn't," said Lana, sternly. "You already agreed to marry him and you will. You'll settle down in a nice house of your own, have plenty of children, and live in peace."

Anna nodded. There was no point sharing her feelings with her parents. They didn't care how she really felt. All they cared about was money, social status, and getting her out of the house. That's what any family in Sylvarant with only one daughter to their name could possibly want.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Later that evening, Anna was running a brush through her long brown hair and braiding it to get ready for bed. She was still pretty embarrassed over Hector's public proposal and her parent's bullying afterward. Anna wondered if her parents would have been more sympathetic to her plight if there wasn't a Human Ranch only a few miles away. The constant threat of the Desians made her parents careful and edgy. Perhaps they wanted her to get married because they were afraid she might not live that long.

_I just wish the Chosen of Mana would receive the oracle soon_, Anna thought as she tied her braid into place. A Chosen One had been born not too long ago and, when they were old enough, would go on the World Regeneration Journey. If the Journey was a success, the Desians would disappear and the world would be saved. Anna didn't really know how the Regeneration Journey worked, but to be rid of the Desians forever would be a blessing.

Just as Anna was about to climb into bed, she heard a tapping noise on her window. Anna got up and stared out at it. Hector was down below, throwing stones at her window to get her attention. Bored by the clichéd romanticism of his actions, Anna opened the window and peered down at him.

"Hector, its late!" she called down. "What are you doing down there?"

"I wanted to speak to you!" he called. "Just the two of us! Please, Anna?"

"Can't I just talk to you tomorrow?" Anna asked.

"No, I want it to be now," said Hector. "Don't you want to take a midnight stroll with your fiancé?"

Anna sighed but thought it would be too rude to refuse him. He was, after all, her husband-to-be. "Alright, Hector, I'll be right down."

**Ying-Fa: Please review! Feedback is the food of life!**


	2. Desians

**Ying-Fa: Ah! I'm so glad you're enjoying my story! Thank you all very very much! Here's the next chapter! **

Anna threw a cape around her shoulders and hurried out to where Hector was standing, waiting for her. "Hector, it's so late," she said. "What on earth could you want to talk about now?"

"How can you not want to talk?" said Hector, simply. "For a girl who just got engaged, you're oddly subdued."

Anna blinked, slightly startled. He wasn't wrong. She'd been silent and awkward since the scene he'd caused this afternoon. She'd barely said two words to the man who was going to be her husband. "You . . . you're right," she said, shyly. "I'm sorry Hector, I . . . I guess I'm still kinda shocked about this whole thing. I mean, this time yesterday everything was normal and now . . ."

Hector grinned at her. "I understand," he said. "Come, let's take a walk."

"O-okay," she said, managing to give him a sincere smile.

The two of them marched through the quiet village. The half-moon in the sky was particularly bright, providing a soft light so that the world could still be seen even in the darkness of night. Anna listened to the sound of the lake water running gently against the shores and the chirping of crickets giving them a quiet symphony of nighttime music for their walk.

"I am sorry about the scene this afternoon," said Hector as they walked. "I know that must have made you uncomfortable, but the impulse hit me and . . . I guess I just wasn't thinking."

"Impulse?" Anna asked.

"Yes," said Hector. "I've been meaning to propose to you for awhile now and then this morning came and . . . I just had to do it then, before I lost my nerve."

"You've been . . . planning to propose to me?" said Anna.

"Well, yes," said Hector. "As the only son in a wealthy family, I've been told that I needed to get married and settled soon so I can take over my father's fishing company. When I started courting you, Anna, I felt confident that I'd found just the kind of person I could spend my life with."

"R-really?" said Anna, flustered.

Hector beamed. "You're a fine woman, Anna, and my family approves us. I've come to truly love you. I cannot wait for our wedding day."

Anna felt her breath catch. She couldn't believe how wrong she'd been about him. He really loved her. His family had been pressuring him to get married, true, but he wasn't forcing himself to marry her, he wanted to.

"Hector, I . . . I'm sorry," said Anna, staring down at her feet. "I . . . I haven't been as sincere to you as you have been to me. I . . . meant what I said when I told you that I'd marry you and . . . I'm glad that you picked me. Knowing that we're going to spend our lives together . . . makes me very happy."

Hector's green eyes sparkled. "Come, my dear fiancée. I want to show you something."

He took her hand and guided her towards the great bridge that led outside the village. Anna felt a pang of fear. "Um, Hector, where are we going?"

"Oh, yes," he said. "You've never been outside the village, have you?"

"N-no," said Anna. "Not for a really long time."

"That's what I want to show you," said Hector. "Late at night, my friends and I would always sneak out of the village and play games in the fields. I want you to see them with me."

"B-but . . . the Desians . . ."

"Even Desians need to sleep," said Hector. "I seriously doubt that they would be sneaking around Luin in the middle of the night. The village elders just want to scare little children into staying into their beds after curfew."

"But we shouldn't be out past curfew either," said Anna. "Don't you remember what happened to Beth? That wasn't something to scare children! She was my friend, she . . ."

"Anna," said Hector, touching her shoulder gently. "Nothing will happen. I never saw any trace of Desians in the fields when I went out there. We'll be perfectly safe, I promise."

Anna gulped. The thought of leaving the village left her with more dread than excitement. Still, she knew she ought to trust him. He was, after all, her fiancé. "Well, okay," she said.

Hector smiled. "See? I knew you'd see it my way. Now let's go."

They walked together off the main bridge and off into the wide fields of Sylvarant. There was a slight wind that sent goosebumps down Anna's skin, causing her to pull her cape tighter around her shoulders. Anna gazed around at the landscape, marveling at the sight.

An ocean of grass spread out wide, ending in a clump of trees in the distance which lead towards Lake Umacy. A dirt road cut clean through it like a shallow wound, twisting and bending. Down one end of the road, Anna could make out the sight of the cliffs of Asgard and, down the other end, could see the Hima Mountain.

"Grand, isn't it?" Hector asked, smiling at her amusement.

"It's amazing what you can see," said Anna, happily. "Oh and look," she pointed upward and the night sky. "There are so many stars! You don't see that many when you're surrounded by the lights in the village!"

"Stars are one thing, dear, but the land itself is something more," said Hector. "I used to wish I could go on a pilgrimage for the Church of Martel, but there's no way I would join the clergy. I had my father's business to run."

"Maybe we could go on a trip together after we're married," Anna suggested. "I've always been curious as to what Asgard is like. I hear the ruins are famous."

"Ha!" Hector laughed. "The Asgard ruins? Sure, those are alright for a day trip, but I've got my sights on Palmacosta! I'm thinking of expanding my father's fishing company over there."

"You want to move to the city?" Anna asked.

"Of course I do," said Hector. "I've been cooped up in this little village for all my life. I want to see the sights in the big city! Palmacosta is the perfect place. Plus, they have an army that protects the people from Desians. We wouldn't have to live in fear anymore."

"That does . . . sound nice," Anna admitted.

"Doesn't it?" said Hector. "Well, as you're going to be my wife, you should have a say in it. How about it? Feel like leaving this insignificant place behind and going to the city?"

Anna hesitated. Taking a few steps outside the village was alright enough, but moving away from her family and friends? She wasn't sure if she could stand being so far away from them. Passes through Hakonesia Peak weren't cheap and she doubted she'd be able to go back and forth as she liked.

_But still,_ Anna thought, _Hector's going to be my husband. If I'm going to be a good wife, I ought to support him. If we're going to make a good life for each other, we need to do what's best. Isn't that what getting settled is all about?_

Anna didn't answer but gave him a weak smile which he took for consent. Hector smiled brightly. "I knew you'd see it my way. Here."

The two of them walked further away from the village and towards the woody areas across the field. Anna felt frightened again. The Human Ranch wasn't too far from here and she didn't like the feeling of pushing her luck. "Hector, why are we going so far this way?"

Hector gave a careless laugh. "Anna, my dear, you are too easily frightened. Listen to me, please. There. Are. No. Desians. Out. Here. Tonight."

Anna gave an uncomfortable huff but continued to follow him. When they'd reached the very edge of the woods, and Luin had shrunk to nothing but a mass of shadow and dim lights, did Hector approach and gently put his arms around her. Anna was momentarily stunned and had little time to prepare herself for when he lowered his head and kissed her. Anna was frozen. She didn't pull away from Hector but couldn't find it in her to join in his kiss.

_What's wrong with me?_ Anna thought. _I'm going to marry him, aren't I? I'm going to spend my whole life with him, aren't I? Why am I so stiff and uncomfortable around the man who will be my husband? I must relax. This is how life is going to be from now on._

With those thoughts in her mind, Anna forced herself to relax in his arms. She let her eye close and she returned his kiss carefully. Yes, surely this was how she was to behave. This was how things were meant to be from now on. Her life with Hector had finally . . .

The sudden sounds of movement in the woods caused the couple to break apart. They stared into the forest, silent and still as a couple of frightened deer.

"What was that?" Anna whispered.

"I . . . I'm not sure," said Hector, looking anxious.

"Monsters?" Anna suggested, her voice full of fear.

"M-maybe," stammered Hector. "Be still for a moment."

They stood there silently for awhile, unsure if it was safe or if they should run. The monsters in the woods didn't normally attack humans unless provoked . . . or hungry. But if they ran, the monsters were unlikely to pursue very far. But as they watched, it became clear that it was no ordinary monster that was moving about. The noises of movements became clear as the sounds of footsteps and distant voices. A faint glow of torchlight soon came into view and soon the silhouette of helmed figures could be seen.

"_Desians!_" Anna gasped in horror.

Hector's eyes widened with pure terror. "H-how can this be? Th-they never come out here th-this late! W-why are they . . .?"

"We must go!" Anna whispered frantically. "We must get back to the village!"

"Y-yes!" said Hector. "Come, Anna, let's . . ."

But as Hector made to leave the woods, his foot came down on a large stick. The resounding _crack!_ echoed through the woods like a whip. There was a long, horrified silence as the couple froze, sending all manner of prayers to the Goddess Martel that the Desians hadn't heard that. But then . . .

"What was that?"

"Who's out there?"

The Desians were calling out in their rough voices and suddenly the sounds of their armored feet rushing through the debris of the forest resounded through the woods. They were heading their way.

"RUN!" Hector screamed and the pair bolted back across the field toward their village.

Anna sprinted as fast as she could, her terrified heart pounding painfully in her chest. Her whole being was focused on getting safely back to Luin, to her home.

_Luin_, was Anna's only thought. _Must get back to Luin! Must get back home!_

But in her haste and desperation, she didn't pay close enough attention to her footing. Anna tripped over the hem of the cape she was wearing, stumbled, and fell to the ground. She landed painfully on the hard earth, white lights popping into her vision for a moment, then she glanced up. Hector was still running towards the village. He hadn't seen her fall.

"Hector!" Anna called out to him. "Hector! Help me!"

He stopped and glanced around. Anna could hear the Desians approaching her quickly. Anna could see the fear in Hector's eyes.

"Hector! Hector, please help me!"

"Hey! Hey you!" cried the Desians. "Stop right there!"

Hector's face went pale with sheer horror. He turned away and continued to run. He ran away as fast as his feet could carry him, back towards the village of Luin.

"Hector!" Anna cried desperately, trying to get back to her feet, but her balance had been thrown when she fell. "Hector, come back! Please don't leave me! Please help me!"

But Hector didn't turn again.

Before Anna could do much more, a pair of rough hands seized her arms and held her still. The Desians had caught her. There were three of them, each of them looked identical to each other, since their faces were masked by their helmets and their uniforms all matched one another.

"Where do you think you're wandering off to this late at night?" one of the Desians asked.

"Please, let me go!" Anna begged. "I've done you no wrong! Please let me go home!"

The Desians all laughed at her. "You certainly don't know how things work around here, you wretched little inferior being!" snapped another Desian. "Nobody gets in our way and just gets to go home."

"Take her to Lord Kvar!" said the third Desian. "He'll decide what to do with her."

Anna could barely resist her fate. As the Desians began to drag her away towards there horrible Ranch, Anna could almost hear the tolling of her own Death Knell.

**Ying-Fa: And with tragedy, the true story begins. Please leave a review, I do so adore them!**


	3. A012

**Ying-Fa: To those who reviewed, I am eternally grateful. Chapter three is here! Please enjoy!**

Anna sat in the cell alone and scared. The moment the Desians took her into their Ranch, they'd torn off her clothing and forced her into a plain, ragged gray dress and had placed a kind of iron collar around her neck. Then they'd put her hand into a machine that had bit into the flesh of her fingers and drawn blood. It had been little more than a prick, but it still scared her as to what the significance of it was. When it seemed they'd finished with her, they tossed her into this cell and left her all alone.

After having been left there for hours, Anna had curled herself into a corner and unleashed her misery in tears. A few hours ago, she'd been safe at home with her mother and father. Now, everything was over. She was as good as dead the moment the Desians had caught her. Now there was no hope. There was nothing to save her now. She was going to die here, alone and at the mercy of the cruel batch of half-elves that plagued her world.

Suddenly there was the sound of footsteps and a guard came by and unlocked her door. "Today's your lucky day, you little swine," he said. "Lord Kvar wants to see you."

"Wh-what?" Anna said, confused.

"It's not your place to ask questions," snapped the guard. He came in and grabbed her by the arm. He forced her to stand and then marched her out of the cell.

Anna could not help but glance around as the Desian guided her through the Ranch. The floor was smooth and shiny, the walls were of solid bronze and the doors had no handles and opened on their own whenever someone approached. Some of the doors were open, revealing rooms filled with machines and sparkling lights that made no sense to Anna. In one room, however, there was something that made her tremble with deep fear.

A group of four or five Desians were crowded around a monster the likes of which Anna had never seen. Its grotesque body was warped and ugly, its arms were horned at the elbows and ended with huge claws. The head of the beast was small and its whole body whirled around at the surrounding Desians in a kind of anguish.

"Put that thing down before it causes any real damage!" yelled the Desian that was guiding Anna. The Desians in the room nodded and charged in at the beast. Anna was forced to pass before she could see anything else, but the sounds of swords cutting flesh and a strange, screaming wail followed them as they passed.

Finally, they entered a very large room with more machines and a long desk in the center. Sitting in a chair behind the desk was what had to be the Desian leader. He had slicked back, blonde hair and the pointed ears that marked him as a half-elf. He had slits for eyes and was dressed regally in blue. The Desian leader looked up when Anna and her escort entered the room.

"This is the human, sir," said the Desian at Anna's side.

"Ah, very good," said the leader. He had a dark, clever voice that made Anna's spine shiver. "So, this is her. What is her number?"

"A012," replied the guard. "Human name: Anna."

"Anna, eh?" said the leader, approaching her and taking hold of her chin. "Well, this will work out nicely. You have very fine DNA, Anna, very fine indeed."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Anna asked.

"Don't you dare address Lord Kvar so disrespectfully!" yelled another Desian, brandishing a whip at her.

"Now, now, that's not necessary," said Kvar, calmly. "The poor inferior being doesn't know any better." He looked back at Anna and smiled at her. "You will be delighted to know, dear girl, that you will have the honor and privilege to take part in a very important project that we are conducting here at the Ranch."

"I . . . don't understand," Anna murmured.

Kvar smirked. "You probably don't know this, but were you aware that Human Ranches are actually bio-factories used for the mass production of Exspheres?"

Anna shook her head, having no idea what an Exsphere even was.

"Well, that's what our mission is, anyway," said Kvar, calmly. "But times are changing and only so many of you inferior beings have the potential to produce a halfway decent Exsphere. But you, my dear, your DNA shows that you have the potential to produce a very special and specific kind of Exsphere."

"R-really?" Anna said, surprised.

"Yes," said Kvar. "Now, A012, I will offer you a deal. If you be a good girl and help us to create an Exsphere, then I promise you will be able to do whatever you want."

"I just want to go home," said Anna desperately.

Kvar grinned. "Very well. If you're a good girl, do as you're told and give me the Exsphere I want, then you can go home. You have my word as one of the Five Desian Grand Cardinals."

Anna had nothing to gain by refusing. She nodded fearfully.

"Splendid," said Kvar, eyeing her with a dark menace that sent shocks of cold fear throughout her body. "Now, then, if you'll just hold still for these fine gentlemen . . ."

Without any warning, two guards came up from behind Anna and seized her arms. Anna tried to shake them off, but their grips were painfully strong. One of them took her left hand and pulled it forward as a third guard came forward with something small clutched in his hand.

"This is going to be a rather unpleasant experience at first," said Kvar, calmly. "But once the initial shock wears off, it will get much easier, you'll see."

The third Desian then placed what seemed like a small gemstone onto the skin of the back of Anna's outstretched hand. At once, her skin squeezed inwards until the stone was embedded into her flesh.

All Anna knew from then on was the feeling of her very soul being pulled into the stone. She could feel the gem becoming one with her whole body, with her very essence. It was like her entire being was crushing in on itself. Her ears were suddenly full of a loud, roaring noise and her vision blurred. The stone was taking control of her life. She no longer belonged to herself. It called the shots now. Shockwaves like raw electricity shot through what had once been her own body. Anna was consumed by the pain, the roaring, the mass of confusing color that was her vision.

Whether it lasted a second, an hour, or even an entire day, Anna would never be able to recall. All she knew was pain . . . then numbness . . . then nothing at all.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Time no longer existed. There was no such thing as days, years, minutes or seconds. All that there was in the world was work and rest. When the Desians would hammer on the bars of her cell, she would get up and join the other prisoners and work. When the Desians blew the whistle, she would go back to her cell and rest. Desians, work, cell, rest, everything blended into a blended swarm of misery and woe. Sometimes the workers would suddenly be gone, other times they dropped to the ground and did not get up. At these times, the guards would come and drag them away. Sometimes the work would last the whole time the sun was out and carry on until the moon was out. Such things as day and night no longer made sense either.

Anna did everything she was told. She was a model worker. The guards rarely had to whip her. They called her "Lord Kvar's Special Project". It made the other prisoners fearful of her. They stayed away from her. She didn't even notice. She just did as she was told. All that ever when through her head was the same sentence, over and over . . .

_Be a good girl and you'll go home._

_Be a good girl and you'll go home._

_Be a good girl and you'll go home._

Home. Home to Luin. Home to her mother. To her father. To her fiancé. That was all that mattered. She no longer felt pain. She no longer felt sorrow. She couldn't understand why the other women wept in their cells at night. She couldn't contemplate the nightmares of the children or the anguished groans of the men who'd been worked to the bone.

Her life was now ruled by the stone. The gem had been tiny and scarlet when they'd put it on her but somewhere in the absolute nothingness that was her life it had begun to change. First it started to grow a bigger, as it had been very small when they'd first given it to her. As it grew, the color started to change as well. The red was starting to brighten to pink, then white, and now a very light blue.

Kvar was happy. He said that she was the closest thing to a success that he'd seen in many years. He said the Exsphere was progressing better than he could ever have imagined. She didn't really remember what happiness was, but she knew that she was doing things right. It wouldn't be long now.

_Be a good girl and you'll go home._

_Be a good girl and you'll go home._

Home. Home to Luin. Home to mother . . . father . . . fiancé . . .

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"The Angelus Project is coming along splendidly," said Kvar, beaming at his Lord with an oily manner. "Soon, very soon, I expect the task to be completed!"

"You've managed to produce a Cruxis Crystal?"

"Not quite yet," said Kvar. "It appears to be a kind of missing link! A step above the normal Exspheres yet not quite up to scratch with a true Cruxis Crystal."

"Hm."

Kvar watched with apprehension as Lord Yggdrasill closed his eyes and bowed his head, a slight smile curling his lips. "This is good news, Kvar. Will this . . . _evolved_ Exsphere reap the benefits that it has promised?"

"It ought to," said Kvar. "The evolution of the wielder will probably be slower than if a true Cruxis Crystal was used but as the stone evolves then the Angel Transformation can be made."

"And then the ranks of Cruxis will spread," murmured Yggdrasill. "Marvelous, Kvar, this is just the news I needed. Your work will be an immense movement towards our glorious Age of Half-Elves."

"Oh, now, Lord Yggdrasill," said Kvar in an attempt at modesty. "Anything you desire shall be done."

"Excellent," said Yggdrasill. "Now, once the Exsphere is complete, I want you to give it straight to me. Bring me that completed Exsphere and you might just find yourself the Leader of the Five Grand Cardinals."

Kvar nearly quivered in delight. He'd been longing for a chance like this, a chance to prove himself. He knew he deserved the title far more than that vile Pronyma. Now all that needed taking care of was making sure that prisoner A012 (he'd forgotten her true name some time ago) continued to be a success. But, a little while longer the Exsphere would be ready for harvesting.

Kvar left Yggdrasill's throne room gleefully. As he watched him go, Yggdrasill allowed himself a moment of reflection on how smoothly things were going. At this rate, his Desian subordinates would be mass producing Cruxis Crystals as well as Exspheres. When they started equipping the Crystals to themselves, they would all start evolving into Angels just like the forsaken Chosen ones.

_When they make the cross from half-elf to angel,_ Yggdrasill thought. _They will finally become the envied lifeless beings. My new Age is at hand, this special Exsphere will be the key._

_And a new world, a world free of discrimination, will be waiting for you when you return . . . dearest sister . . ._

Tucked away in the shadows of the throne room, two of Yggdrasill's subordinates were waiting, having listened to the entire conversation. The angels watched Kvar leave and saw the self-satisfied look in Yggdrasill's eye.

"It will never end, not at this rate," said the first and fairer of the two as he swept his long, blue ponytail behind his back. "The world no longer means anything to him. Any hope of Yggdrasill returning the world to its proper form will never come to fruition, not until Martel is revived."

His companion did not reply. He merely stared off after Kvar and his eyes narrowed slightly. Then, without a word, he turned from his companion and began to walk away.

"Are your feelings the same?" the first called after him. "Does the world no longer mean anything at all?"

"Humph," he replied softly, and then he turned and left the castle on Derris-Kharlan in a flash of light.


	4. Escape

"Hurry, Seth, _hurry!_"

"I'm going as fast as I can!"

"Just leave her, Seth. We can't waste a single second."

"Her fate will be the same as ours. I made a promise . . ."

The voices around Anna made no sense. They were hushed and agitated and hurried. She had a feeling someone was doing something to her arm that housed the gemstone. She didn't bother to move. The Desians were always checking on the thing. She let them at it. She no longer cared.

"_Hurry!_"

"Almost . . . got it . . . . Now!"

It was like a tidal wave of cold water rose up and smacked her in the face. She could feel, hear, see and contemplate _everything_ going on around her. Everything was coming into focus, everything made sense now. After feeling so little after so long, Anna was shocked and frightened by the sensations. She let out a hoarse gasp and clutched at her head, trying to clear her mind of the stabbing pain that sensation brought to her dull senses.

"Hey! Hey, girl, are you okay?"

"Wh-where . . . am I?" Anna croaked. "What's . . . what's going on?"

Anna glanced around through the pain. About twenty of the prisoners were standing around and outside her cell. She could tell they were prisoners because they were dressed in the same dull gray clothes and iron collar that she herself adorned.

"It's okay," said a young man who appeared to be the leader of the group. At the very least everyone was looking to him for direction. "My name is Seth. We're breaking out of here."

"You're . . . what?" Anna was confused. It hurt to think.

"We're getting out of this ranch," said Seth, hotly. "We're escaping tonight and you're coming with us."

"Wh-what?"

"Just leave her, Seth!" snapped a woman standing outside the cell. "If we take her along, the Desians will only try harder to find us. We'll all be dead if they find us."

"No," said Seth. "I already told you. The only reason we have a chance to escape is because I promised to help free this girl. Now let's go!"

Seth grabbed Anna by the wrist and pulled her along with the rest of them. Anna glanced around as they marched through the halls of the accursed ranch. They looked just the same as it had when she first got here, yet everything seemed strangely new. Anna looked down at the gem on her hand. It gleamed innocently up at her through the embedding in her skin and around her wrist was a plain bracelet made of some strange metal.

"What . . . did you do to me?" Anna asked as Seth marched her along. "I . . . I'm confused."

"It's that bracelet," Seth explained in a hurried voice. "It's made out of a special ore. The man who gave it to me said that it controls the affects of the Exsphere."

"Huh?"

"Seth, we'll never make it out of here alive if we don't stop chatting!" barked an older, bearded man.

"He's right," said Seth, turning around and giving Anna a stern look. "Be quiet and just follow us. I'll explain more later."

The group made slow progress, ducking and twisting to avoid any Desian guards that may be patrolling the halls. Seth led the way, taking everyone through a series of darker, more deserted halls. Anna followed along, feeling jittery and confused as ever. What had happened? One moment, she hadn't felt a thing or could even think properly, now everything had come spinning back. And this gem on her hand . . . was called an Exsphere? And this strange bracelet controlled it?

Seth lead them all to a room filled with strange machines. He then showed them a tiny ventilation shaft that was hidden behind one of the larger machines. "This should lead somewhere outside," Seth told everyone. "If we can get out successfully, then we can take to the woods and scatter. They'll have a harder time finding us if we manage to lose ourselves properly."

"But Seth how can you expect us all to fit through there?" said another prisoner. "And what if the Desians find us?"

"We'll have to run for it then!" snapped Seth. "Alright, I'll go first with the girl. Everyone, follow us as quickly as you can but try to be as quiet as possible. The last thing we want to do is alert the Desians."

Seth took Anna's hand and guided her into the vent. It was probably tall enough for a two-year-old to stand up in, but certainly not an adult. Anna had to get down on her belly and crawl with her hands and knees. It was extremely uncomfortable. She felt boxed in on all sides and the air was stiff and dusty. Anna forced herself to remain calm and crawl as swiftly as possible. To keep herself motivated, she pictured her home in her mind.

If she could get out of here, she could finally go home. Home to Luin. Home to her family and her friends and her fiancé . . .

Anna could hear the rest of the group crawling awkwardly behind her. Anna didn't know how they would attempt for so many to escape all at once. The Desians may not notice one or two humans missing from the ranks but twenty? This Seth person had to be someone with real guts if he thought he could pull this off.

After crawling for what felt like hours in the dark, musty vents, Anna spotted a light up ahead. She crawled for it desperately, feeling freedom was only a few inches away . . .

That was when the sirens went off. A loud, roaring sound that echoed through the vents, through the entire ranch, telling everyone that something was wrong. Anna jumped in fear, bumping her head on the low ceiling.

"Keep moving!" barked Seth. "We might still be able to make it!"

Anna gathered her wits and moved toward the end of the vent. But the end was barred. She pushed against them, but they were sealed tight.

"The exit is blocked!" Anna called to the people behind her.

"It should open if you give it enough strength," said Seth, directly behind her. "Just be careful because . . .  
Anna gathered all the strength and determination in her rattled and confused body and shoved her shoulder into the bars. The force of the blow did open but . . .

". . . there's a drop," Seth finished lamely as Anna toppled out of the opening.

Anna twisted around and saw the vent she'd climbed out of growing smaller and smaller as she fell. She just had time to think about what a rotten way to die this would be when the gem on her hand suddenly glowed brightly. It then felt like she was moving through water rather than air. Anna was able to twist in the air with an unnatural ease so that she landed, catlike and unhurt, on the grass below.

She blinked in confusion. _What had that been?_ Anna looked down at the gem (Exsphere?) on her hand. It had somehow protected her. What was this powerful yet terrible thing?

The other prisoners were not using the Exspheres as Anna had used hers. They slid down onto a pile of crates that formed a wall that hid them from the Desians. Anna watched and waited for them. Once the last of them had slid down to the ground, Seth gathered everyone again.

"We can get past the wall through a chute which serves as a drain," he said. "I'll show you the way."

Ducking behind the crates, the prisoners made their way across the grounds of the ranch. Anna could hear the hurried, armored footsteps of Desians not far away from them. They had obviously noticed the absence of so many prisoners by now and had begun looking for them. Anna's heart beat frantically in her chest. What if they were caught? Seth lead them to the drain chute and pried away the rusted bars.

"Okay, let's go," he said. "Now make sure to take cover in the woods. It's the only way . . ."

"Hey! Over here!"

"There they are! Seize them!"

The prisoners made a dash for the tunnels, Seth and Anna leading the way. Desians appeared in great numbers, bearing down on them. Some attacked from a distance, sending arrows and fireballs at them, while others perused on foot with their thick swords clutched in their hands.

Anna could hear screaming behind her. She turned around to see several of the others were getting caught or killed. She panicked. She couldn't do this anymore. Anna was so scared it was unbearable. She heard a shout and looked up. Several Desian archers had sent down a wave of arrows so that they cascaded to the ground. Anna screamed and ducked, waiting for death …

It never came. Anna looked up and gasped in horror. Seth was standing over her protectively, his back was covered completely in arrows.

"Wh-what are … you waiting for?" he gasped, blood leaking out of the corner of his mouth. "R-r-run …" Then he fell and moved no more.

Anna got to her feet and scrambled. She ran with all her might through the forest, dodging trees and spells, putting all her faith into the gem in her hand. Whatever this cursed thing was, it gave her strength and she could use all the help she could get.

Suddenly, the ground vanished from beneath her. Anna fell forward and toppled down the steep hill on which the Ranch was built. Later, Anna would put her survival down the cliff solely on the Exsphere. She had to have rolled down that hill for a good five minutes before she finally came to a stop.

Her body wracked with pain, Anna blacked out.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

The sound of birds was what woke Anna. When she peeled her eyes open, she found herself still at the bottom of the cliff where she'd fallen. Then memories of the previous night came flooding back into her mind. Anna got clumsily to her feet and immediately began to run. She knew where her feet were carrying her. Her senses told her the right way to go.

_Home! Home to Luin!_

The rest of Anna's journey through the woods was thankfully blessed without Desians or monsters. She came out of the trees and onto the plains and, up ahead in the distance and clear as day, the slight sparkle of Lake Sinoa and hazy black outline of the city built on it. LUIN!

Anna didn't care that she was dirty and disheveled, that her bare feet were cut and bleeding from running through the woods, that her gray dress was ripped and filthy. All her mind was focused on was getting to that city. All she wanted to do was finally, _finally_ go home!

Steadily, the city came into clearer focus. She could see the outlines of buildings and the bridges that ran over the Lake. She could recognize the armory and the inn, oh it was all so familiar! It was so wonderful to be home!

But as she drew nearer, she noticed some things that were different. She could see stores that weren't there before. The inn looked like it had been renovated. This was a little strange.

"Goodness gracious, child!"

Anna screamed and spun around. A plump woman and a reedy man had come up beside her, staring at her in confusion. The man looked like one of the town's fishermen. He had a wide straw hat and ragged clothes whereas the woman was dressed in a plain brown dress and apron and had something of a motherly feel to her.

"Are you alright child?" the woman asked. "You look like you've just risen from the grave."

"I…I'm sorry," said Anna. "I…I've just been lost in the woods and…I finally found the way back."

"Oh, you poor dear," said the woman. "Can we help you get home?"

"My parents own the Crossroads," Anna explained. "The item shop over the way."

"The Crossroads?" said the man. "But that can't be! The Mayor's brother owns the shop, and he's not married."

"N-no," said Anna, confused. "My father is Boyd Galen and my mother is Lana Galen. They own the item shop."

The couple looked at each other in total confusion. "The Galens, dear?" said the woman. "Well, that's just impossible. They died years ago."

"They…they _died_!"

"Yes," said the man, grimly. "Gave up the ghost about ten years ago. They did have a daughter but there's no way you could be her. That lass was taken to the Human Ranch when I was naught but a sparkle in me papa's eye! Had to be, what? Fifty years ago."

**Ying-Fa: All that bloody effort to get back home and THIS happens. I'm such a terrible person. Please review!**


	5. Alone

It wasn't a lie. The sight before her was the undeniable proof. What the couple had told her outside Luin, about her being gone for fifty years, had been true. The differences in the town had to have taken quite some time. There were new shops, new houses, and a new fountain in the plaza. Her father's store, the Crossroads, had been remade with the Mayor's house right over it. Everything was strange, familiar yet different.

But this … this was the ultimate piece of evidence. This was all she needed to see to know once and for all that her life here had been completely shattered. A double gravestone with her parent's names, Boyd and Lana Galen, engraved on the surface. The older tombstone right next to it read: Anna Galen.

Her parent's had buried her without knowing that she was still alive. Her family had lived out their lives without her. The world had carried on and left her behind. Luin had moved on to a new future, forgetting all about the girl at the item shop. All the people were new; there was nobody that knew her. Everything was strange. This was no longer her home.

Anna left the cemetery and marched miserably across the bridge back to the plaza. As she crossed, she looked down at the calm lake water at her own reflection. There was no indication in her appearance that fifty years had gone by. She looked just like she did before, a twenty-five year old young woman. Only her hair showed any hint of the flow of time. When she'd first arrived at the Ranch, her hair had reached just past her shoulders. Now, however, it was down almost to her knees. She was also much skinner than she remembered being. But even with the few changes, she was a shell of who she once was. All she'd been hoping to return to was gone. Her parent's had left her behind, as had her fiancé.

She'd asked the couple of the fate of one Hector Ramsey as well. Apparently, he'd only grieved her loss for a short while. After Anna had disappeared, he proposed to and married another girl from town and had moved to Palmacosta, as he'd planned. Nobody had really heard from him after that. He came back for a short while when his father passed away and saw that his fishing company was successfully sold, and then left again, never to return to the tiny town he'd hated.

Anna found the new fountain near the edge of the village, sat down on the brim and sighed deeply. She didn't know what to do with herself. Everything she'd had before was gone now. Perhaps she could make some kind of living here in Luin still. She could try to find a job, maybe. She could think up a different name since nobody would believe her to be Anna Galen. But she had nowhere to stay, no gald to her name, no nothing. Anna glanced down at the jewel on her hand. Perhaps she could sell it. But she didn't know how to take it off as it was still embedded in her skin. As she contemplated how to make use of the torturous gemstone, she heard someone cry out.

"There she is!"

Anna looked up and gasped. The fisherman from before was standing a few feet away and five Desians were standing behind him, brandishing their whips and smirking.

"Yeah, that's her," said one of the Desians. "That's the one Lord Kvar's been looking for!"

"Where did you think you could go, little lady?" sneered another Desian. "Lord Kvar assumed you might run back to your old home. So stupid."

"If you'd managed to stick to the forests, you might have gotten away," said the first. "But I guess inferior beings aren't blessed with that kind of logic. Grab her!"

Filled with terror, Anna did the only thing she could think and jumped head first into the Lake. The Desians roared with fury and tried to jump in after her, but didn't dare because their armor would have dragged them down. Anna, however, with only her gray dress to worry about, had no problem.

Growing up in Luin, you would be a fool not to know the lake. Children swam in its depths numerous times, memorizing the waters. They could tell how deep they were going and, no matter how far you go, you always know where you'll come up. Anna followed the familiar waters as she swam safely away from the Desians. She knew by the temperatures how deep she was swimming and knew the places where it was safe to come up for air, under the bridge and within a rock fissure behind the Mayor's house.

Anna didn't dare try to enter back into the village. As she came up under a bridge for another breath, she could hear the Desians stomping feet.

"She'll have to come up eventually!" she heard one of them yell. "Look around the edges! It's only safe to come out from within range of the village. We'll catch her."

They were right. If you tried to reach the edge of the lake near the woods, you'd find yourself waist-deep in mud and jagged rocks. The young ones of the village never went that way during their swimming explorations, for the risk was too great.

In Anna's case, however, it was well worth it.

Anna took her deepest breath yet and swam her way towards that forbidden direction to the dangerous waters. She was careful to hold her breath as long as possible before daring to go for more air. Even then, she swam into an upright position and stuck only the top of her face above the surface for a quick gasp before plunging back down again.

Finally, she reached the muddy shallows near the woods. She swam as long as there was water, but then the mud rose up before her, feigning solidity. Anna tried to walk through it, but her feet sank in like quicksand. She put all her energy into every step, trying to wade through the deep sludge. It was a colossal effort just to keep moving. Anna tried to motivate herself ("One more step. Just one more step. Keep going.") but it didn't last long. She was crawling through deep mud, she couldn't remember ever being so filthy, clinging desperately for freedom.

After what could have been years, she caught sight of tall grass and trees. The forest was just ahead of her. She was exhausted beyond anything she'd ever felt, but she forced herself to go on. She had a feeling that the gemstone was aiding her again, giving her the energy to pull her forward, to wrench her limbs out of the guck to move just another few feet…

Anna reached solid land as the sun was going down. She'd found the village, fled from the Desians, and freed herself from the mud all in one day. Anna collapsed against a tree and sobbed. The whole ordeal had been an awful strain. She felt sick and weak, scared and sad. But she couldn't stay here forever. The Desians would have given up on her coming out of the lake near the village soon. They would surely start scouting around the edges of the lake. Gathering all the resolve she had left, she forced herself to her aching feet and began to wander the woods, walking at first but then picking up the pace to a slow jog.

But there was no way of knowing where she was or where she was going. She had nowhere to go at all. She might be safe in the woods for awhile, as the Desian had bragged to her, but it wouldn't be that way for long. These forests were ridden with monsters and she had no way to defend herself. Worst of all, however, was that it didn't matter what she did now. She had absolutely nowhere to go.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Night fell and darkness descended upon the woods where Anna wandered blindly. Her body was still aching from her long swim through the mud, but she still staggered on. She was too afraid of the Desians. She didn't want to get caught again and dragged back to Kvar. What would he do to her if he caught her again? What horrible punishment would he inflict upon her? Would he put her back into that weird trance or would he beat her to death?

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She fell to the twig-strewn forest floor and let her misery wash over her. All she was doing was marching to her own death. Even if the Desians didn't find her, she would surely starve to death in these woods, or be eaten by some monster. She didn't dare go towards any kind of civilization. The people of Sylvarant always feared the tyranny of the Desians and would give them anything they wanted to keep them away.

Anna had just made up her mind that she would simply lay here and wait to die when she caught a slight, orange glimmer a few yards away between the trees. A monster? She couldn't tell. A fire? But who would be camping out in the middle of the woods? Her curiosity gave her the strength to rise to her feet yet again and march forward, toward the light.

She trudged through the woods, her every footstep was an exhausted stomp on the ground. The twigs and dead leaves clung to her bloody feet, but she could not stop, her will to survive had seized control of her body. It was eerily familiar to how she had been at the Ranch, only her will was what had hold of her, not the jewel. Anna had just gotten close enough to the light to tell that it was, indeed, a campfire when she heard someone cry out.

"Who's that! Who's there?"

It was a man's voice, loud and gruff. The voice scared Anna and she turned to run away, but she didn't have the strength for it. She tripped and fell as a huge shadow fell over her.

"What's this? Why, 'tis just a lass!"

Anna braved a glance upward. The man standing over her was thick-muscled, wide and very hairy. He had a thick beard and bristly hair that fell ungracefully all over the place. He was dressed strangely in odd furs and wide boots made of strange scales Anna had never seen. But his wide, chubby face was not full of wrath, but concern.

"What's a lass like ye doin' out in these dangerous woods?" he asked.

Anna couldn't respond. She was still shaken and weak that all she could stare up and him and shiver.

"Don' be afraid now," the man said. "Largo's a nice guy, yes he is. Is ye lost, young lass? Come into the warmth, now. I got some hot broth for ye."

He offered her a huge hand and she took it, shakily. He pulled her into the ring of firelight. There was a large black pot over the fire and Anna caught a tantalizing whiff of hot broth boiling inside.

The man reached into a bag near a large tree trunk and pulled out a large fur, which he threw over her. He then moved over to the pot and filled a metal bowl with the broth and handed her a roll.

"Eat now," the man said. "Largo's a nice, hospitable guy, he is. Do enjoy."

With trembling hands, Anna took hold of the bread and tore off a chunk of it and dipped it into the steaming broth. When it was completely soaked, she raised it to her lips and would later swear that she'd never tasted anything so wonderful. The scalding broth slipped down her through and into her stomach where it settled and warmed her from the inside.

Anna took her precious time with the bread and then raised the bowl to her lips and gulped down the broth completely. When she was finished, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and returned her gaze to the man. "Thank you," she managed to say.

"Oh, don' worry," he replied. "Always happy to share with the lost."

"I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't found me," said Anna. It was strange to carry out a conversation. She'd done so little talking for so long. "What are you doing in the woods so late?"

"Why, Largo's a monster hunter, he is," Largo answered. "Them peoples of Asgard asked I to rid them of a pack o' troublesome wolves."

"Have you had much luck?" Anna asked, timidly.

Largo beamed and pointed to the fur she was wearing. "See for yerself."

Anna glanced down at her covering and saw the shape of a wolf's head dangling near her shoulder. She shivered violently, but recovered quickly.

"Aye, many come askin' the likes of Largo to do them favors of monster-ridding," said Largo, leaning back. "Pays good gald to, I don't mind me saying. Don't get much company though. Good to have talking to do with others it 'tis."

Anna smiled shyly. "So you were hired by Asgard?" she asked.

"Aye," replied Largo.

"So then we must be near there."

"Aye. 'Tis not far, not far."

"That's good," said Anna. "Maybe I can find some help there."

"Where be yer family, lass?"

"I don't have one anymore."

"Run away, are ye?"

"You could say that."

"So yer unaccompanied out here on yer lonesome?"

"Sadly, yes."

"A most dreadful tale," said Largo, sympathetically. "Wish only I coulds be helping ye."

"Thank you," said Anna. "But there's not much you can do. I do appreciate your help now though."

"Likes I says, miss, always happy."

"I know it's late, but maybe you could point me in the direction of Asgard," said Anna. She could hide there for awhile and maybe find food and clothes to steal if she was unable to sell the gem on her hand. "I could make it before too long."

"Oh, now, yer not leaving so soon, are ye?"

"I don't want to be a bother," said Anna, kindly.

"Yer no bother."

"I'm more trouble than you think," Anna said, sadly. "I don't want to burden you with my troubles. Thank you again for …"

Before Anna could finish, Largo stood up with surprising agility and took a firm hold on her arm. "Oh, now, ye can't just go without proper goodbyes."

The warmth that the broth had given Anna died quickly as thought someone had doused it with ice water. Her heart pounded as she stared up at the chubby, bearded face above her. Largo was leering in a terrible way.

"Ye think I don't know a Human Ranch escaper when I sees one?" he asked, softly. "But ye needn't be fearing. Largo's a nice guy. Largo's not gonna hands ye to the Desians. All he wants is company, is all. You'll be doing that, won't ye?"

Terror deeper than that which the Desians brought in her took over Anna. She pulled to try and free her arm, but it wouldn't give. "Let go," she cried. "Let me go! Please!"

"Don't be being like that," said Largo, pulling her closer. "Largo's a nice guy. He gave you his food. Now you be nice to Largo. Only fair."

"Let go!" Anna screamed. "Leave me alone!"

"Largo's a nice guy," Largo repeated, yanking her closer to him. He was so much stronger than she was. "But he can be mean. Ye doesn't want Largo being mean, does ye? Just be nice and you can have more yummy broth and Largo will let ye be on yer way. Ain't that nice?"

"No!" Anna shrieked. "Let me go! Help me!"

"There's no being like that, miss. Be a nice girl for Largo and he'll … OUCH! Who threw that!"

Largo's sickening advances stopped suddenly as a rock struck him in the back of the head. He tossed Anna roughly to the ground and spun around wildly.

"Who be out there!" he roared. Largo reached over to his back and pulled out a huge ax. "Come out!"

There was only silence for a moment and Anna was sure the rock must have fallen from a tree or something and she was alone and doomed. But then footsteps were heard suddenly and someone stepped out of the shadows. A man, clad in thin armor strode into the campsite. He stared at Largo, expressionlessly, only one eye visible from beneath his long red hair.

"Who be you?" Largo roared furiously. "Beat it! This don't concern ye."

The man begged to differ. "Get out of the way," was all he said.

"_Yer_ the one in _my_ way," growled Largo, raising his ax.

The man reached to the double belt around his waist and pulled out a long sword. "Do not make me repeat myself," he said, darkly. "Leave this place at once."

"You think ye can be standin' up to me!" Largo bellowed. "I be Largo! Feared hunter of monsters! The gods tremble at the sound of me name!"

The man did not reply. Instead he merely jerked his head at Largo as if to say "Bring it."

Largo roared and charged at the man, raising his ax up high. There was a flash of silver and suddenly red rain was falling on the ground. Largo paused and looked down at his split open belly and the ax fell from his hands.

"…not…nice…" he murmured, but then he fell on his face and moved no more.

Largo's killer glanced down at him and snorted in disgust. He stepped over the body and advanced toward the shocked young woman. Anna merely sat where she was, frozen with fear. After a moment, the newcomer addressed her.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

Anna backed away until she hit the trunk of a tree, terrified of what she'd just seen. The man seemed to understand her fear, for he sheathed his sword once more.

"Do not be afraid," he said. "I am not your enemy."

"Wh-who are you?" Anna stammered.

"I am Kratos, a mercenary," he said. "And I swear upon my good name that I will not harm you."

**Ying-Fa: They meet! AT LAST! Eek, I can't believe I'm writing Kratos! I'm nervous! Please leave your reviews!**


	6. Company

**Ying-Fa: Thank you everyone. Gee, who would have thought that the story would be _less_ liked when Kratos showed up? Oh well...**

Anna awoke a few hours later to the sound of a roaring fire and the smell of burning. She sat up quickly and examined her surroundings. Even though day had arrived, there was a large fire in the middle of the clearing where Anna had slept. The mercenary who had saved her, Kratos, was still there. He was rummaging through Largo's belongings, placing some things out on the grass and throwing others into the fire.

After a few minutes, Kratos looked up and noticed Anna watching him. "So, you're finally awake," he commented.

"Y-yes," said Anna, nervously.

Kratos grabbed some of the items by his side walked over to give them to her. Anna saw that the items were a bundle of cloth, a towel, and a bar of rough soap. "There's a spring of fresh water through that patch of trees just beyond us," he told her, jerking his head over his shoulder. "You can clean yourself off over there. I apologize if it's not a perfect fit. I had to guess."

Anna glanced down again and noticed that the cloth was actually a dress with a pair of soft shoes wrapped inside it. "Where …?"

"Explaining now won't do much good," said Kratos, shortly. "I'll give you the details in a moment, but for now you ought to clean yourself up. Trust me, you'll feel better once you do."

Anna understood she wasn't going to get much more information out of him, so she merely nodded her thanks and headed in the direction he'd indicated. True to his word, she could hear rushing water and, within moments, she found the spring. The water was bitingly cold, but Anna took her sweet time. Her long and exhausting trip through the muddy shallows of the lake and left her quite filthy and it took awhile to successfully wash off the caked on dirt from her body. When she dubbed herself clean enough, she dried herself off and slid into the clothes Kratos had provided for her.

For a "guess" the dress fit remarkably well. It wasn't anything very fancy, though. It was a soft yellow color with a brown vest and a leather belt, but the feeling of new cloth on her freshly clean body and her cut-up and abused feet incased in the soft shoes, Anna felt like a whole new person. She felt a million times better and more like the girl she'd been before the human ranch.

Anna made her way back to the clearing and found Kratos was almost done with raiding the dead monster-hunter's belongings. Anna could see the remains of the bag smoldering amongst the flames. She approached Kratos cautiously from behind and when he didn't turn around she cleared her throat to announce that she'd returned.

"Um, thank you," she said. "But … I'm sorry but I don't really get it. Why are you helping me?"

Kratos finished with the items and dusted off his hands before answering Anna's question. "I doubt you noticed, but I've been following you," he said. "I saw you escape from the Human Ranch. I knew it was only a matter of time before Kvar's men recaptured you so I decided to follow."

"But why?" Anna said. "Why help me? You have to know what the Desians would do to you if you helped me."

"I have my reasons for opposing Kvar," said Kratos, dismissively. "And I know that he'd been trying desperately to recapture you. I figured the longer you were out of his hands, the happier everyone will be."

"But what's so special about me?" said Anna. "What could he want with me?"

"The Exsphere, I would assume," said Kratos, glancing down at Anna's left hand. "Human Ranches are Exsphere manufacturing plants. They capture humans and use them as hosts for the Exspheres. When the Exsphere is fully mature, they are removed from the host bodies and are then distributed amongst the Desian soldiers."

"So he's after me for this … Exsphere thing?" Anna asked, looking at the stone with disgust.

"So it would seem," Kratos replied. "At any rate, all we can do now is make sure you don't fall back into the hands of the Desians. If you come here a moment, I'll remove that collar."

Anna looked over at him and gulped. She didn't know how much she trusted this man. After the incident with Largo, she was unwilling to approach any man at the moment. But, she reminded herself, Kratos had saved her, had done nothing suspicious yet and did, indeed, seem more mannerly than Largo had been.

So, Anna approached Kratos and sank to her knees on the grass beside him. He knelt down, brushed her hair aside and began to remove the iron collar around Anna's neck. After a few moments, there was a light click and collar slid off. Anna reached up and massaged the skin of her throat which was pale and wrinkly from its long imprisonment within the collar. Anna rocked her head this way and that, trying to ease the stiffness when she saw Kratos pull a short knife out of his boot and reach out towards Anna's hair. Anna pulled away from him quickly.

"Wh-what are you doing?" she cried reproachfully.

"The Desians will have passed your description to their subordinates by now," Kratos explained calmly. "Every Desian from here to Iselia will be looking for a long-haired girl in prisoner attire. The best way to continue to allude them is to change as much of your appearance as possible. New clothes and a clean face will only get you so far."

Anna bit down on her lip and looked down at her long hair. Then she shook her head and nodded. "Yes. Yes, you're right. Go on, cut away."

Kratos eyed her for a moment, but then took hold of her hair once again. Anna steeled herself as best she could, but she had to restrain a whimper as she heard the knife sawing away behind her head and the first handful of hair fell down into the grass.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

A few hours later, Anna and Kratos marched through the woods, not speaking. Anna couldn't stop running her hands through her new haircut. Kratos, Anna felt, had overdone it somewhat. He had fashioned her hair into a bob-like cut with the longest bits barely reached her cheekbones. It wasn't unattractive at all but Anna couldn't shake the discomfort of having her hair like this. Before this, the shortest it had ever been had been slightly above her shoulders and now Anna's head felt oddly light without the usual weight.

They marched through the dense woods for a long time, speaking very little. They rarely ran into many monsters as they walked. It seemed Largo had done is job of ridding the woods for the people of Asgard. They used the stream as their guide, following along the rushing waters and never straying far enough to be out of earshot of the rushing water. Anna walked a little behind the mercenary and doing her best to keep up with him. Kratos wasn't exactly the best of company. He didn't speak unless spoken to and when he did he restricted his words to short sentences. Anna did, however, give him credit as a guide. She didn't have a doubt in her mind that he knew where they were going. He was able to identify which berries were ripe for eating and which mushrooms were poisonous and which ones were edible. Also, upon those few instances where they did run into monsters, Anna merely had to stand back and watch as Kratos cut them down with barely a swing of his sword.

The day was almost out and the sun was setting when they finally left the woods. Anna wasn't sure about leaving the shelter of the woods so soon, but Kratos insisted. "The Desians still think that you're alone and lost in there," he explained. "They won't expect you to make it out of there alive. What we should work on now is making you out to be a different person. If we manage to slip you right beneath Kvar's defenses, then we'll know we've done a successful job of disguising and reforming you."

"So, where are we going?" Anna asked.

"Asgard," said Kratos. "It's far enough from Luin and the Ranch, but odds are Kvar will still have set Desians there in case you do come by. If we can make it in and out of Asgard without detection then we'll know we were successful. We can also make use of the facilities for the night as well. I don't want to have to deal with the activity of the monsters at night. They are manageable in the day, but when the sun goes down it's a different story."

Anna nodded. Everything Kratos had said made sense but the sound of going into a village where Kvar would have very likely set up soldiers to recapture her made Anna uneasy. Nevertheless, she went along and followed Kratos towards the village.

Asgard was a village that took the phrase "living on the edge" to a whole new level. It was set alongside a large cliff with such a long, dark drop that it made Anna feel sick just looking down it. There were shops and the famous ruin caves along one side of the village and the other was dotted with houses made of wood and stone. Behind the village rose a large dais where a dancer usually paid tribute to the Summon Spirit of Wind.

As they entered the village, Kratos paused and threw an arm out to stop Anna. Anna froze and followed his gaze. Up ahead were some of Kvar's Desian troops. They were talking amongst themselves and one of them was nailing a piece of paper to a sign near an item shop.

"Host Body A012's description is on the Wanted poster in case any of these villagers gets a glimpse of her," one of them was saying.

"You think they'll hand her over?" another asked.

"They will if they know what's good for them," the first replied. "There's nothing stopping us from taking a few of _them_ to the Ranch instead."

"The inferior beings of this place are of no concern to Lord Kvar," said the Desian nailing up the sign. "Only A012 matters or so he says. Let's go."

The Desians cleared away and Anna and Kratos carefully approached the Wanted poster. Anna stared at the picture and squirmed with distaste. The picture showed her with long matted hair, a slack jaw, a long nose and squinty eyes.

"Urg! Am I this ugly?" she asked.

"This is good," said Kratos. "Even if the people of this village are looking for you, they'll have a harder time identifying you with the pictures so inaccurate. Let us proceed, but stay close in case there are any more soldiers left."

"If you say so," Anna grumbled, eyeing the poster with distaste.

Kratos led Anna through the quiet town. Anna was surprised when she saw the first inn come up ahead and Kratos passed it by with barely a glance. Then they came upon the second inn and passed it as well. When they finally stopped it was at the largest and possibly the most expensive-looking inn that village had to offer.

"We're going to stay…here?" Anna asked, uncertainly.

"You think that Kvar would expect a prisoner with nothing to her name to be able to afford a place like this?" Kratos said, pointedly.

"N-no," said Anna and she followed Kratos inside.

It was very lavish inside. Large columns and nice furniture and pricy-looking works of art decorated the walls. The smiling lady behind the counter told them the ridiculous price of 500 gald a night and Kratos, prepared as always, handed over the money as though he paid for expensive inns every other day. The lady then showed Kratos and Anna up to their room. It was a miraculous place that had four large beds with thick blankets and feather pillows, a balcony, a chandelier, and even a small bathroom.

Anna stared at the beautiful room and was sure she must have died and gone to heaven. Never had she seen such luxury! She was ready to throw herself onto the bed and rub her face into the soft mattress and sleep there for a century.

"It's so pretty!" she cried in delight. "We actually get to sleep here! I can't believe it. It's just so gorgeous!"

The hostess laughed and blushed modestly. "If there is anything you require, please do no hesitate to ask for it."

"I think this will be everything we need," said Kratos. "Thank you."

"My pleasure. Enjoy your stay."

The hostess left, closing the door behind her. Anna watched her go and a sudden thought occurred to her. What had the hostess thought her relationship to Kratos was? Father and daughter? Certainly not, they were too close together in age. Siblings? But they looked nothing alike. A … couple?

"You should get some rest," said Kratos, interrupting Anna's treacherous thoughts.

"H-huh?" said Anna, dazed from being zapped back to reality. "Wh-what are you going to do?"

"There are a few things in the village I wish to investigate as well as a few other things I wish to do," said Kratos, evasively. "You should stay here and get some sleep. Do not leave the room until I get back, alright?"

"Alright," Anna agreed.

Kratos nodded to her and turned to leave the room. Just before he was out of sight, Anna's voice spoke of its own accord.

"Anna!" she cried out.

Kratos turned and stared at her.

"M-my name," Anna went on. "I-I couldn't remember ever telling you my name back in the forest. It…its Anna."

Kratos merely stared at her for a few seconds longer, which made Anna _really_ feel like a fool. Finally, a corner of his mouth twitched and Anna could have sworn the stern mercenary nearly smiled.

"Get some rest … Anna."

And with that, he closed the door behind him.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

It was a few hours later, not yet daylight, when Anna opened her eyes from a deep sleep. She thought that sleeping on such a comfortable bed would provide nothing but sweet dreams, but she was mistaken. Her nighttime visions had consisted of the Human Ranch. She dreamed of Kvar's smiling face as he put that dreaded jewel on her hand; she dreamed of Seth, the boy who had helped her to escape, dying before her eyes; she dreamed of her parent's tombstones and Largo's evil, lust-filled leer …

Anna sank into the softness and warmth of the bed and tried to shake off the misery. It was over, she told herself, she had gotten away. But would she ever escape the horrors that memories brought her? She just closed her eyes and tried to will the fear away when a faint light suddenly struck at her eyelids. Anna opened them and saw a strange blue light coming from the balcony. She moved silently in her blankets, trying to get a better look and what she saw made her convinced she was still dreaming.

Kratos was standing out on the balcony with his back to her and there, protruding from his back was what could be nothing else but wings. They were unlike anything she had ever seen in her life. Icy blue and shaped like sickles, they shimmered with a radiance that filled the dark balcony with soft light. Kratos himself was staring out at the village. There was something clutched in his hand, but Anna didn't know what it was.

The sparkling blue wings flapped suddenly and, to Anna's amazement and wonder, Kratos' feet lifted off the ground. He rose up into the air, still never directly facing Anna's direction, then he soared out of her sight and disappeared.

Anna lay still, stunned by the remarkable and strange dream she had just had, for that most certainly had to have been a dream! But she'd never felt so awake during her dreams before. So was she awake and thinking this was a dream or was it truly a dream and she was really asleep, but thinking she was awake?

She wondered about it for so long, in fact, that when she closed her eyes again there was only blackness. And when she opened them again, it was daylight.


	7. Flee

"W-We've searched everywhere, Lord Yggdrasill, b-but it seems he's severed all means of communication."

"We tried to track his movements but he's covered his tracks well. There's no trace of him in Tethe'alla. We sent scouts out to Sylvarant, but . . ."

The babbling of these two lesser soldiers of his were like the buzzing of bees in Yggdrasill's ears. They made his insides burn, his head pound with a fury he hadn't felt in so long, that he hadn't _needed _to feel …

"That will do," he growled, stopping the incoherent yammering of the two Desians. "I don't care what you've done and I don't care how you plan to remedy this. All I care about is that you _find him! NOW!_"

"Y-Yes, my Lord!"

The two subordinates ran from the presence of their majestic Lord. Yggdrasill was hunched over by a window, staring out, his fists shaking. There were only two others left in the room with him. Pronyma, the Leader of the Grand Cardinals, and Yuan.

"Lord Yggdrasill," said Pronyma, carefully. "I-I'm sure there is a logical reason to all of this."

"I don't need words of comfort from you, Pronyma!" snapped Yggdrasill. "What news to you have in regards to Kvar's missing prisoner."

"Um, the prisoner escaped the Ranch with a handful of others," said Pronyma, fearfully. "Kvar managed to recapture or kill most of them, but the Angelus Project girl appears to have fled further than we thought possible. Still, she is naught but a wretched inferior being. We will find her soon."

"Make sure it happens," Yggdrasill snapped. "We MUST get that Exsphere back! A thousand years worth of research will be lost if we don't obtain it. Tell Kvar that if he values his career, and his life, he'll get that Exsphere back to me within the next fortnight!"

"It will be done, my lord," said Pronyma, and she disappeared to deliver the news to Kvar, leaving the two Seraphim alone.

Yggdrasill stayed in his hunched over position, his arms shaking. "I … I don't understand," he murmured, more to himself than to Yuan. "This is … so unlike him. Kratos never, NEVER, leaves without my permission. He always tells me what he's done. I … I trusted him, Yuan. I trusted him enough to make him one of the Four Seraphim, didn't I? I trusted him to become the Origin Seal, didn't I? What could he be doing? Is this a betrayal of my trust?"

Yggdrasill threw back his fist and sent it smashing through the glass of the window. It shattered everywhere, giant shards falling in a lethal cascade. Yggdrasill felt no pain, his hand did not even bleed, as he pulled it from the wrecked glass.

"WHY? Why would he leave? Kratos … DON'T YOU DARE BETRAY ME!"

Yuan had no words of comfort for his master. He turned and left Yggdrasill alone to brood over Kratos' unexplainable behavior. Yggdrasill had been right. He wouldn't have trusted something as important as the Origin Seal to a subordinate that he did not have complete faith in.

"He ought to know that Yggdrasill and the Cruxis will never leave him alone no matter where he goes," Yuan murmured when he was certain he was out of earshot of Yggdrasill. "A man like him could never disappear and expect to find peace …

"Kratos … what are you planning?"

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Anna awoke the next morning and her first though was why her neck felt so cold. After a moment of getting adjusted to being awake did she remember that all her hair had been cut off by Kratos and that she was currently in a lavish hotel in Asgard.

Anna was very reluctant to get out from underneath the thick, heavy, warm blankets of her bed. It was so nice and pleasant. She lay around for awhile, dozing in and out, enjoying the feeling of being lazy. She could never loll about as she wanted before. Her father always woke her early to help out with chores and the store and at the Human Ranch all she knew of was work and sitting upright on an uncomfortable bench all night. But basking around for who knew how long in a warm bed with such beautiful surroundings, Anna felt like royalty. It was almost felt like happiness, something she thought she would never feel again.

When the sun was shining so brightly that she couldn't ignore it any longer, Anna threw off the blankets and got out of bed. She bathed and put on the same dress that Kratos had given her yesterday, for it was all the clothing that she owned. She then spent a long while in front of a floor length mirror and examined herself.

She didn't look too different from the girl she'd been before the ranch, but there were unsettling differences, apart from the new haircut. Her face was thinner than she remembered it being and there were dark circles under her eyes. There was also that horrible jewel still embedded in her hand. Anna stared at it with loathing, then went back into the bathroom and found some clean bandages, which she wrapped firmly around her left hand, hiding the Exsphere from sight.

_It's this thing that Kvar wants back, not me, _Anna said, bitterly. _The moment I get around to it, I'm tearing it off my hand and throwing it down the drain! I want nothing to do with this … this disgusting thing! I'll never be able to move on with my life as long as it's attatched to me._

But how was she to move on with her life? She had no home and she didn't dare stay so near Kvar's Ranch. Perhaps she could run as far as the eastern continent. The Triet Desert was over there. Maybe that would be the best place to start over. It was across the ocean from Kvar. Maybe she could get a job and support herself somehow. Or maybe Kratos had something planned. He, at least, seemed to know what he was doing. But how long was he planning to keep her around.

When there was nothing left to do, Anna made for the door to her room, but paused as she put her hand to the doorknob. She had promised Kratos that she would not leave the room until he got back. She looked around. The other beds in the room looked like they hadn't been slept in at all. She wondered where Kratos was and where he had been all night. Not wanting to break her promise to him, Anna went over to the window and stepped out onto the balcony.

Asgard was already awake and full of people, coming and going through the village. Shoppers were wandering around, looking at the merchandise the shops had to offer. Tourists where gathering in and out of the rune tunnels and wandering up to the dais, getting their chance to look around at the ancient relics. Anna felt uplifted at the sight of all the people, living carefree lives. It gave her a strange kind of courage. In spite of her fifty year, ageless imprisonment, there was still such thing as day-to-day life. She only hoped that she would be able to obtain it for herself as well.

As she watched over the village, she noticed a small child and their mother point toward the inn where Anna was staying. The mother followed her child's gaze, but then gasped in fear. She grabbed the child's arm and pulled it away as fast as she could. Anna glanced around, wondering what could have scared the woman, but she noticed it at once. Three Desians were standing near the entrance to the lavish inn and among them, his back to the inn, was Kratos. He was talking to the Desians, and then Anna saw him turn and point to the door.

Anna backed against the wall, her heart ramming against her chest. Kratos had betrayed her! He was leading the Desians right toward her! He was planning on giving her back to them! But why? Why would he have helped her so much before turning her in? Had it all been a trick? Anna would bet her life that Kvar probably had some kind of money reward in wait for the person to return Anna to him. Maybe that was it. Kratos had been after reward money. Anna's father had always told her that mercenaries were greedy people who would do anything for money.

But she wouldn't go back. She _refused _to go back. She would have to escape before they could find her. If Kratos thought she was stupid enough to fall for his trap, he had another thing coming! Anna glanced back down and saw Kratos leading the Desian soldiers inside. She had to get out and get out now.

Anna looked over and saw a row of windows leading around the building. The inn was set with its back up against one of the rocky edges of the mountain. If she could climb along the windows, she should be able to climb down the cliff, and she may be able to escape. If she failed … it would most likely lead to a broken ankle and certain capture. Still, it was a necessary risk.

Standing up on the balcony edge, Anna pressed herself against the wall and reached her leg out toward the next window ledge. It was pretty far, but she managed to get the upper half of her foot on the ledge and then, gathering all her courage, tried to swing the rest of her body over to the other window. She did a kind of pirouette in midair and, for a horrifying second, lost her balance and thought she was going to fall. Anna leaned backward and her back slammed into the window, terrified at what she'd done but safe nonetheless.

Anna repeated this horrifying cycle all along the inn exterior. Rounding the corner of the building had been especially frightful because she almost couldn't reach the next window with her foot. She had had to remove her shoe and grab on to the next ledge with her toes like a lizard. Finally, she reached the rock cliff wall along the back of the inn. Anna stayed in the shadow of the inn, lest any pedestrians point her out and draw the Desians outside. Making her way down the cliff was even more difficult than getting from ledge to ledge. The rock was tough on her hands and feet and tore at her new dress.

After awhile, the inevitable happened and a rock that Anna had been holding on to gave way and she slid down the rest of the cliff. Thankfully, the fall was short, and she landed on all fours at the side of the inn.

Anna forced herself to get up. Her fingers and hands were bleeding from the rock and she had bruises all along her limbs from the fall, but this, thankfully, appeared to be the worst of the damage. Anna then ran into the crowds of people and tried to blend in. She made her way to the town entrance with nobody trying to stop her. Finally, her luck seemed to be cutting her some slack.

Anna glanced back at the inn she had just escaped from and felt a pang of sadness. She had trusted Kratos, had been glad of all the help he had given her. In the end, he couldn't be trusted. Like Hector, like Largo, Kratos was just another man who had promised her security, only to throw her away. This must not happen again. She would never count on anybody again. She had no choice but to make her way in this cruel, twisted world all alone.

Resigned to her dark fate, Anna ran out of the Rune City and off into a world that had its back to her.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Anna? Anna!"

Kratos searched all through the room where he'd left the girl last night. She was nowhere to be seen. The glass door leading out to the balcony was open, but there was no sign of her. Frustrated, he went downstairs to where the innkeeper was sitting behind her desk. She recognized him as the man who had come in with the three Desians and avoided eye contact with him. He came over to her and, when he was close enough so that she couldn't ignore him she finally lifted her gaze to him.

"M-May I h-help you?" she stuttered.

"I came here last night with a young woman and you gave her a room upstairs," said Kratos, plainly. "Did you see her leave this morning?"

"N-no sir," said the innkeeper, looking surprised. "I haven't seen the young lady at all. I thought that she might still be up in her room."

"I see," said Kratos, darkly. "Thank you anyway."

"Y-yes sir."

Kratos crossed toward the inn and glanced over in the dining chamber. The three Desians from earlier were in there, all of them slumped onto the table, there mouths lulling open. Good, he thought. The drug that he'd put into their wine had worked. When they woke up, they wouldn't have any memory of meeting him here in Asgard. The less the Desians knew about him, the safer they would all be. He couldn't have any of them letting the Cruxis know that he was roaming around Sylvarant, lest the angels come searching for him.

He hurried out of the inn and asked as many people as he could about Anna. Most people claimed that they hadn't seen her, or weren't paying attention enough to notice her. His luck improved when two young ladies said they saw a short-haired girl heading for the village entrance.

"It was just a little while ago," said the first girl. "Probably twenty minutes."

"Is that so?" said Kratos. "Hm. Well, thank you for your help."

"Anytime."

As Kratos turned his back to them, he could hear them whispering. "What do you think that was about?" the girl asked her friend. "Did he lose sight of his girlfriend?"

"Does he want another one?" her friend replied, giggling.

Kratos ignored them. He had to catch up to Anna. If that girl were to fall back into the wrong hands, all that he was trying to do would be in serious danger.

**Ying-Fa: Uh oh! Anna ran away! What's a handsome stud to do? Well, please review! It makes writing so much easier.**


	8. Angel

**Ying-Fa: ...one review... TT_TT... thank you very much to Ai Deidara for remembering me!...the show must go on...**

It was well past noon when Anna had run as far from Asgard as she could and felt safe enough to slow her pace. She had reentered the woods again and, struggling to remember the maps she'd studied as a child, thought she must be somewhere near the Balacruf Mausoleum. She could probably hang around here for a little while, as long as she stayed out of sight, then she would make her way to Hakonesia Peak and board a boat to the Eastern Continent.

Anna's stomach growled loudly and she leaned up against a tree and groaned. She hadn't eaten since yesterday evening and she didn't have any gald or anything. She wished she hadn't been so rushed to run away from Kratos, but as he was leading Desians in after her, there hadn't been a lot of choice. Maybe she would find something to eat in the woods. She certainly wasn't any good at hunting and if she came across a monster, she was done for. Hopefully she'd be able to find berries or something edible here. But what would she do after that? She was hoping to sell the Exsphere for passage through the Peak, but then she would really have nothing to sustain her until she reached Palmacosta.

These unsettling thoughts weighted on Anna's mind for several minutes when a sudden noise from behind her caused her to jump. Something was moving through the forest brush, something big. Anna shivered in fear and glanced around for a big rock or stick she could use to defend herself, or maybe a tree with branches low enough to climb. But there was no time, the thing kept getting closer, it was almost upon her …

"No!" Anna yelled, curling herself into a ball and waiting for sharp claws and teeth to tear into her at any second. But they never came. She felt the beast come nearer to her, heard it sniffing the air…and it _licked _her.

Anna yelped in surprise and stared at the creature that had appeared before her. She'd never seen anything like it. It resembled some kind of canine with fur was white with large, light green spots all around it with huge ears. It sniffed at Anna curiously, its long bushy tail wagging at the sight of her. It wasn't aggressive at all, but Anna didn't want to let her guard down too quickly. She reached out a hand to the creature and it sniffed her playfully and licked her palm.

"You…don't seem like a monster," Anna said aloud. The animal whined like a dog and nudged closer to her. "Hm…then…what are you?"

It whined again.

"Well, that's alright then," said Anna, reaching out to pet the animal. "Hey, do you know where I can get something to eat, big guy?"

The animal whined again and gently took a bit of Anna's skirt in its mouth and tugged. Anna took that to mean that it wanted her to follow it. Putting her trust in her new friend, Anna let the animal lead her deeper into the forest. Her friend led her to a stream and, to Anna's delight, a kirima fruit tree. Thinking it no more than a blessing from heaven, Anna picked one of the kirima and took a bite. The sour-sweet taste of the fruit did wonders and she could feel her energy and her mood take a definite upturn.

Anna devoured no less than six of the kirima before bending over the stream and drinking deeply from it. When she had her fill, she returned her gaze to her new friend and examined him.

"Say, just what are you, anyway?" Anna asked. "You're kind of like a dog, but you're unlike any dog I've ever seen. Are you some kind of wolf cousin or something?"

The animal just whined again and sniffed at her hand again.

"Well, I'm glad for the company, whatever-you-are," she said, kindly. "I really needed to find this place. I don't know what I'm going to do without Kratos, really." She sighed. "If only I'd thought to steal his bag before I left. Well, maybe if I wrap up some of these kirima, then I'll be …"

She froze. Something big, bigger than the animal with her, was moving through the woods. Anna twisted around and saw, just in time, a huge club the size of a small tree beings swung down at her. Anna screamed and slipped away just before the club smashed into the ground where she'd been seconds before.

The club was wielded by a monster. An ogre that stood twice as tall as she did, with wide shoulders and a small lump of a head. It had pale green skin and wide blue eyes that were staring down at Anna. It cried out and swung the club at her again, but she ducked and sprinted away, her animal friend beside her and howling strangely.

No matter how fast Anna ran, the monster kept close to her. It swung at her restlessly, trying to strike her down. The animal beside her kept howling on and on without drawing breath. Anna dearly hoped it was trying to bring fifty of its strong, powerful friends to come to help.

After a few minutes of scrambling to escape, the inevitable happened. Anna tripped and fell to the ground and before she could even try to get back up, the ogre was upon her. It raised its club and brought it rushing down toward her. Anna rolled to get out of the way. The ogre roared and swung the club again, but Anna rolled back again, still managing to avoid it. As she scrambled for her life, the bracelet that Seth had given her slipped off her arm. Anna tried to reach for it, but that was a terrible mistake. The club came down again and crushed not only the bracelet, but Anna's fingers as well.

Anna screamed all the air out of her lungs. The pain was blinding, her right arm completely numb from the pain in her fingers. The ogre raised the club again and Anna was sure she was done for. After all she'd been through; this was how she was going to die. Pathetic, really...

Before the ogre could deliver the final blow, a blade jutted out from the middle of the ogre's torso, covered in green blood. The monster howled in pain as the blade retracted. The ogre swung its club wildly, oblivious to the gushing wound in its stomach, before the sword then struck its leg and arm in a powerful stroke. The ogre fell to the ground with a loud thud before the assailant plunged the sword into its body one more time and twisted. Just like that, the ogre was gone. Confused and sobbing in agony, Anna looked around to see who her savior was this time, but her hope plummeted.

It was Kratos.

The friendly animal that had helped Anna before whined again and trumped over to the mercenary. Kratos sheathed his sword then reached out his hand to pat it on the head.

"Good work, Noishe," he said. The animal whined happily.

Kratos then turned his attention to Anna. He knelt carefully beside her and examined her crushed fingers. "First Aid," he chanted. Anna's hand was suddenly encased in a minty-green light, and the pain lessened considerably. Anna dared to look and her fingers looked almost back to normal, albeit stiff and immovable. Kratos then noticed the bracelet on the ground. He picked it up and examined it. Then he noticed Anna's bare wrist and cursed.

"The Key Crest," he growled. "Ruined."

"The…the what?" Anna asked, sitting up and cradling her hand.

Kratos glared at her with his visible eye. "I told you to wait for me in you room," he snarled.

Anna huffed angrily. "Yeah, right, so you can hand me over to the Desians and get your reward!" she snapped. "No way! I'm not falling for that. If I see Desians coming at me, I'm off!"

"What are you talking about?" Kratos asked, still angry.

"I _saw_ you leading those Desians into the inn!" Anna said, hotly. "You were taking them straight towards me. Of course I was going to run away."

"Did it never occur to you that I was trying to keep them _away_ from you?" Kratos countered. "I lead them to the inn, yes, but when they got there I slipped them drugged wine to make them forget ever meeting me. If you had stayed put as I told you, we could have slipped out of Asgard without having to sacrifice the Key Crest!"

"Wh-what about that stupid thing?" Anna snapped. "What is a Key Crest? What's going on?"

"I have no need to ex…" Kratos began, but Anna cut him off.

"Yes you do!" she cried. "You have a lot to explain. Why would Desians even listen to you in the first place? How do you know so much about this...Exsphere thing? You're hiding things. You know something and I think I deserve to know the truth!"

Kratos glared and, for a moment, Anna thought she was going to be smacked. But he calmed down almost at once to the point where he looked a little sad. The animal came over and nudged his hand with his nose and, as he glanced down at it, Kratos sighed deeply.

"Are you sure you want to know everything that's going on?" he asked, quietly. "In all honesty it is easier not to know such things. The truth of it all may overwhelm you."

Anna wasn't expecting such an answer. She swallowed hard and glanced over at him. "I…I want to know. Please, tell me. What's going on? Why is this all happening to me?"

Kratos shook his head in a resigned sort of way. "I suppose if anyone deserves the truth, it's you. You, who have had your whole life torn apart by all this. But," he looked up at her sharply. "If I tell you everything, you must swear to me that you will not run away again. Like it or not, without me your chances of surviving in this world is slim to none and the last thing I want is for you and that Exsphere to fall back into the hands of the Desians. Are we in agreement?"

Anna glanced down at her left hand, anxiously, where the Exsphere remained embedded in her skin. She looked up to him and nodded. "Okay. No more running away, I promise."

"Good," said Kratos, then he took a deep breath. "I suppose that the first thing you should know is that we are both wanted by the Desians _and_ the Church of Martel."

"The…Church of Martel?" Anna said, confused. "What does the church have to do with any of this?"

"Everything," said Kratos. "The Church of Martel is controlled by the Cruxis, the holy beings worshiped there. What nobody knows is that they are also the masters of the Desians, the ones who order them to commit the atrocities in the Human Ranches to mass produce Exspheres."

"The…the Cruxis angels…control the Desians?" said Anna, stunned. "But that…I'm not sure I understand. And how do you know all of this?"

Kratos gave her a quick, sideways look before he closed his eyes as though in deep thought. Then his body began to glow and two icy blue wings appeared behind his back, shimmering in the late afternoon sunlight.

"Because I am among their ranks," Kratos said, darkly. "I am one of the Seraphim that guide this world."

Anna gaped at the wings, her mouth hanging open. "The-the wings," she stammered. "They're r-real! They're…you're…you're…"

At this point, Anna collapsed in a dead faint and Kratos caught her before she hit the ground.

"I tried to warn you," he said, heavily.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Listen, there was once a time when the world did not suffer as it did now. It was the Kharlan War that caused this world to become the way it is. The Giant Tree of ever flowing mana was not a myth, it did indeed exist. But when it withered and died, the only way to save the world from total destruction from mana deprivation, the two countries that caused the war were separated into two different worlds. This world, Sylvarant, is one of those two worlds and right now it is suffering because all of its mana is flowing to the other world.

"Should a Chosen One make the journey of World Regeneration, then the mana flow will be reversed and flow into this world from the other. However, where this world will finally prosper again, the other will begin to decline. The Desians will move to the other world, should that happen, and bring death and destruction upon the people there as it was brought to you."

"So, nobody will be happy," said Anna, speaking at last as Kratos finished bandaging her right hand and paused in his speech. It was awhile later, getting dark and the two of them were sitting by a fire. The animal from earlier, Noishe, was lying next to Kratos, his ears wagging. "This other …world will be just like this if the Chosen succeeds?" Anna asked.

"Yes," said Kratos. "I'm not sure when it will be but when the seventh Chosen is born and sent on the journey and becomes and angel, then this world will be saved while the other will bid farewell to the prosperity it has known all this time."

"Wait a minute!" said Anna, sharply. "What do you mean "seventh Chosen"? The fifth Chosen was born only…oh!" she gasped.

"Yes," said Kratos, darkly. "During your imprisonment at the Ranch, two Chosens have been sent on the journey…and failed to complete it."

Anna sat there in stunned silence. This was so much to take in. The Goddess Martel, the angels, the Chosen's Journey, another world … it was all too much for her to understand. But Anna shook her thoughts away and tried to simplify things. "But what does…all this stuff…have to do with me?"

Kratos reached forward and took hold of her left hand and looked closely at the stone. "This is what it has to do with you," he said. "This Exsphere is the result of what the Desians have been calling the Angelus Project. Anna, do you know how to tell if a person is born a Chosen?"

"Um, no."

"Chosen ones are born with special gems called Cruxis Crystals," Kratos explained. "These Crystals are what can turn a human being into an angel. While wearing the Cruxis Crystal and under going the trials and receiving the blessings from the other angels, the human being's body evolves and they become a member of Cruxis."

"Is that … how you became an angel?" Anna asked, suddenly alarmed. "Were you…a Chosen One?"

"No, not at all," said Kratos, seriously. "The problem with those who make the angel transformation is that they lose their souls in the process. They become lifeless beings, just as you lost hold of your soul when you had this Exsphere put on you."

Anna remembered her mindless, thoughtless existence in the Ranch and shivered. "But who would want that?" Anna asked. "Who would want to be … lifeless?"

"There are benefits," said Kratos. "When a person becomes one with the Cruxis Crystal, the body's internal clock stops forever, giving them everlasting life."

"But a life of nothingness is the same as being dead," said Anna. "That's horrible."

"Anna, I agree with you," said Kratos. "I discovered a short while ago that the leaders of the Cruxis hope to be able to mass produce Cruxis Crystals as they produce Exspheres. When people start equipping them, then they will slowly make the transformation into an angel…and they will be all that's left.

"I…could not go along with this. So, I severed my ties with the Cruxis and descended upon this land. When I learned that Kvar had come close to completing an Exsphere with characteristics of a Cruxis Crystal, I traveled to his Ranch where I met Seth."

"The boy who helped me escape," Anna said.

"Yes," said Kratos. "I gave him the Key Crest and told him a way to escape from the Ranch in exchange for freeing you. With you out of the hands of Cruxis, the progress towards the mass production of Cruxis Crystals would be delayed. That Key Crest (that's what that bracelet was called) was what helped you regain your self. They are pieces of Dwarven Technology that can allow a person equipped with an Exsphere to use them without the harmful effects it can have on the body's mana."

"Why are Exspheres so important?"

"They have the power to unlock a person's full potential," Kratos explained. "Strength, speed, everything increases when a controlled Exsphere is equipped. That's why the Desians are so fond of using them, despite the fact that they are made from sacrificing the lives of the host bodies."

Anna shuddered and stared into the fire. "I…think I've heard enough for one night," she said, glumly.

"I did tell you it might be too much," said Kratos. "Like it or not, you've been thrown into a struggle that's been going on for four thousand years."

"Oi," said Anna, heavily. "And to think, before all this all I was worried about was getting married. The world used to be so much simpler…"

"Yes, it did," said Kratos, gazing off into nothingness.

Anna suddenly glanced down at the animal and patted him. "So, what about this guy?" she asked. "Is he yours?"

"You could say that," said Kratos. "He's been following me around for the past thousand years. A friend of mine went so far as to call him my pet."

"What is he?"

"His name is Noishe and he is a protozoan."

"Protozoan? You mean the creatures that evolve throughout there lifetimes? I thought those were only legend."

"Noishe is one of the last of his kind. I admit, though, I'm surprised you know what he was."

"I used to like reading about old legends and things like that," said Anna, stroking Noishe's head and frowning slightly. "But after hearing about all the things in the past that are actually true…it's hard to know what to believe in anymore."

Kratos nodded and stood up. "I'll keep watch," he said. "You get some rest; you look like you could use it."

Anna couldn't have agreed with him more. She laid her head down in the grass and, despite her troubled thoughts, fell into a deep sleep.

"Noishe," Kratos called. "Come on."

But Noishe whined. He moved over to Anna and cuddled next to her. Kratos shot him a look and his mouth twisted into a grin.

"It figures after a thousand years you'd prefer a pretty girl over me," he said. "Alright, have it your way. Keep watch over her."

Noishe whined in agreement.


	9. Exsphere

Kratos woke Anna the next morning and the pair of them set off with Noishe. After the long talk they'd had last night, Anna was a little afraid to ask him any more questions. It was terribly difficult though. She had so many questions that they were all bursting to get out of her. She wanted to know more about the worlds and why things were the way they were, but Kratos didn't seem to want to talk about that. Anna couldn't forget the haunted look in his eyes when he'd explained everything to her previously. So she walked silently by his side.

After a few miles of seemingly pointless walking, Anna decided it wouldn't hurt to ask Kratos one, tiny, simple question. "Um…where are we going?" she asked.

"Palmacosta," Kratos replied. "There's research at the Academy that I wish to investigate. It will also be easier to hide you there for awhile. You'll be less likely to be caught in a crowded city than anywhere else."

"Oh, good," said Anna and before she could stop herself she said, "Will we have to worry about Desians over there?"

"Yes," said Kratos, seriously. "There's another Human Ranch a few miles from Palmacosta. We'll have to pass it to get there. But the city has a militia and so the Desians don't invade often."

"But if it's that risky why are we going this way?" Anna asked.

"It's unfortunate, but necessary," said Kratos. "There's no faster way to the city than crossing Hakonesia Peak and I've made it impossible to use the northern bridge near Hima that leads to the Eastern Continent."

"You have?"

"Yes. I planted a fake trail that made it look like you fled that way when they lost you in Luin," Kratos explained. "If Kvar's men followed the trail as I expected them to, they will probably believe you were killed by the monsters in the woods. No matter how drastically we change your appearance, there is no better disguise then death."

"I'll take your word for it," said Anna, rubbing the back of her neck.

Hakonesia Peak stretched into view and soon they were upon it. The hike up the steep hill was slow and agonizing for Anna but seemed a breeze for Kratos, as though he did this every other day.

"I'm not used to traveling constantly like this," Anna groaned. "Before I was taken to the Ranch I hardly ever left Luin for anything and all I had to do were chores around the house. I've never even been camping before."

"You're going to have to get used to it," said Kratos. "We won't reach any real civilization until we reach Palmacosta."

"Gee you're an upbeat guy," Anna grumbled.

Things only got worse when they reached the top of the Peak and a middle-aged man with thinning brown hair and a red nose was at the gate. "If you people are looking for a pass through the Peak, it's going to be 100,000,000 gald," he said.

"100,000,000 GALD!" Anna yelled. "Th-that's just plain theft!"

The gatekeeper noticed her and grinned. "Well, aren't you a beauty? If you wanted another way, you could always try signing up for the Pilgrimage for the Church of Martel."

"So that's it," said Kratos. "You're in league with the Church."

"Shut up!" snapped the man. "If you don't have the money, then scram!"

"This is going to be a nuisance," Kratos groaned.

Anna suddenly had an idea. She cleared her throat and put on a simpering demeanor. "Um, please excuse me, sir. What was your name?"

"Oh, me!" said the man, delighted. "It's Koton."

"Mr. Koton, sir," said Anna sweetly. "I'm so very sorry but I just don't have that kind of money. Is there maybe something else I can give you instead? You see I have this…"

"NO!" Kratos yelled.

Anna was just about to pull at the bandages around her hand to show Koton the Exsphere when Kratos pulled her away from him and grabbed her left hand roughly.

"Wh…Kratos! What are you doing?" Anna snapped, surprise by his violence.

"The Desians all over this area are looking for a girl with an Exsphere embedded in her hand," Kratos hissed. "You can't go around showing it off like that. I told you before. It's the Exsphere they want. You are dispensable!"

"All the more reason to get rid of the stupid thing now!" Anna replied hotly. "Why don't we get rid of this and get them off our backs?"

"Anna, listen to me," said Kratos, frightfully stern. "If you remove that Exsphere now, you will…"

"Hey!" cried Koton. "If you two are just gonna ignore me then you can beat it! You can go off and make out on your own time!"

Both Anna and Kratos stiffened at those words. "WH-WHAT MADE YOU THINK WE WERE…!" Anna shrieked, feeling herself go red hot as she blushed all over. Kratos stared at Koton with a _are-you-stupid!_ look on his face.

"You people can take your penniless romance someplace else," snapped Koton. "I've got a business to keep here."

"Isn't there some way that we can get through the gate or another method of getting to Palmacosta?" Anna asked desperately. "I can't even begin to tell you how important it is."

"I'm sorry, my pretty one, but there's nothing I can do," said Koton with a half-hearted sigh. "This gate can't just open to anyone anytime. I've got…"

But as he spoke, the gate of Hakonesia peak opened suddenly behind him. The three of them looked over, bewildered and saw that Noishe had sneaked around to Koton's controls and had pulled the lever to open the gate.

"Good dog," said Anna, impressed.

"He's not a…" Kratos reminded her dully.

"HEY!" yelled Koton. "Get that filthy animal away from there!"

Kratos seized the chance, took Anna by the wrist and pulled her through the gate and down the mountain, Noishe right behind them.

"COME BACK HERE YOU FREELOADERS!" Koton roared after them. "YOU CAN'T JUST MARCH THROUGH HERE FOR FREE! COME BACK HERE AND PAAAAAAAAAAY!"

They didn't stop running until they reached the bottom of the mountain and were safely away from the irate gatekeeper. They entered the woods at the bottom of the mountain and stayed there while Kratos made sure that nobody was following them.

"It looks like we managed to get away," said Kratos after awhile. "Still, we shouldn't be going back there any time soon."

"What an inconsiderate jerk!" Anna complained, stomping her foot. "Man, I would have liked to teach that perverted little miser a lesson before…"

"Best just leave him be," said Kratos, seriously. "We mustn't press our luck. The Desians and the Cruxis will be looking all over for us. We must keep a low profile at all costs, or we'll be caught in no time."

Anna agreed with him but still huffed at the injustice of it all. They set off again, Kratos leading the way. As they walked, Anna glanced down at her left hand where the Exsphere glinted up at her in the sunlight.

"What were you saying?" Anna asked after a bit. "On the mountain, about removing the Exsphere? Why can't I do it? Why can't I just get rid of this horrible thing? I don't want it on me anymore. I don't want to even look at it. Why can't I just throw it away!"

Kratos stopped walking but did not face her. He was quiet for a moment but when he spoke, his voice carried a dreadful seriousness.

"Anna, no matter what you must not take that Exsphere from your body," he said. "It's not just an accessory that can be removed. Now that it lacks a Key Crest, it is once again one with your mana structure."

"My…mana structure?" said Anna.

"Yes," said Kratos, facing her again. "An Exsphere is like a tumor of mana. Your body's mana not only sustains you but also the Exsphere. That's why I can have the effect of suppressing the hearts and memories of the person wearing it."

"Is that…what happened to me?" Anna asked. "Why…I was so lifeless in the Ranch? Wait…did it make time go by too? Is that why I haven't aged in…in the fifty years since I was taken to that awful place."

Kratos nodded. "That Exsphere is currently mimicking the effects of a Cruxis Crystal, the gem that turns people into angels. Cruxis Crystals stop the body's internal clock so that's why you haven't aged in all this time. And the reason you have retained your soul after the Key Crest's removal is because the Exsphere is now fully mature and self-sustaining, but the parasitism continues."

"Then I HAVE to get it off," said Anna, furiously. "This thing is turning me into a monster then I…"

"Anna, think for a moment," Kratos snapped, reaching out to grasp her hand and keep her from making any attempt to remove it. "If you take off this Exsphere now you might as well be ripping a hole in your body's mana structure!"

Anna blinked. "Wh-what would happen then?"

"Best case scenario…you'd die," said Kratos, darkly.

Anna gulped. "And…what's the worst case scenario?"

Kratos didn't reply, but merely shook his head and resumed walking. Anna was, in a way, glad that Kratos hadn't said anything more. If death was the best thing that could happen, hearing the worst thing would probably make her faint and then she'd be even more of a burden.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Yggdrasill eyed his Five Grand Cardinals through a parting in his long blond hair, his insides burning with suppressed anger. "I have an assignment for all of you," he said, quietly. "The host body bearing the Exsphere that was the result of the Angelus Project has escaped in Sylvarant. I want it back. I don't care what you have to do or how long it takes or how you achieve this, but know only this. The first of you to bring me that Exsphere will be made the Leader of the Five Grand Cardinals."

There was instant complaining, as he knew there would be.

"Lord Yggdrasill!" yelled Kvar. "That Exsphere is the result of MY Angelus Project! I spent five decades harvesting it and now, for all my hard work…"

"Lord Yggdrasill, I must protest!" Pronyma shrieked. "Have I not done all my duties to your liking? I have served you well, my lord, and now you are…"

"Consider it a race then," said Yggdrasill, stopping the complaints of his subordinates. "Kvar, I told you that you would only receive the rewards of completing the Project when you handed me the completed Exsphere! This you have failed to do by allowing your prisoner to escape. And Pronyma, if you enjoy being Leader of the Five Grand Cardinals, then I suggest that you look extra hard for it."

Pronyma growled. "My station is being threatened all because of Kvar's failure! This is intolerable!"

Rodyle snickered. "Doubting your abilities, are you Pronyma? Well, well, that just gives the rest of us a better chance and usurping your place, doesn't it?"

"If anyone deserves that title it is me!" snapped Kvar. "It is my Project that…"

"That you failed to keep control of," said Forcystus. "To think you couldn't even keep track of one single inferior being!"

"It matters not," said Magnius, loudly. "The stupid vermin can't have gotten too far. There are only so many places you can go in the declining world. If it goes anywhere near Palmacosta then the Exsphere and Leadership will be mine!"

"Not unless it goes too near Iselia," said Forcystus. "I have that entire village in the palm of my hand. They'll deliver them to me the moment I ask."

Rodyle continued to chuckle to himself as he heard his fellows arguing. _They can go ahead and break their backs trying to get that wretched Exsphere. _I_, however, have my own Angelus Project taking place in Tethe'alla right at this moment. If my dear little Presea can give me a Cruxis Crystal, I'll beat them all without even needing to comb Sylvarant for one little inferior being._

"Well, then," said Yggdrasill. "I suggest you all get started. You have your mission. Put your work at the Ranches on hiatus for now and bring me that Exsphere."

The Five Grand Cardinals bowed and left Yggdrasill's throne room. When they were gone, Yggdrasill adjusted himself in his seat before calling out, "YUAN!"

From the shadows behind the throne, Yuan stepped out. "I am here, Lord Yggdrasill."

"Have you had any luck in _your_ assignment?"

"I'm afraid not. He's covered his tracks well and there's no knowing which world he even traveled to. Besides much of my time is also being consumed due to the other assignment you gave me."

"You mean the search for the secret Renegade leader?" said Yggdrasill. "You can go ahead and drop that. I don't care about the Renegades, not now. It is Kratos that is important. Find him by whatever means necessary. Do you understand?"

"I do, Lord Yggdrasill."

"Then get going."

Yuan nodded and left the room. _If he hasn't been found yet, it means that he doesn't want to be found,_ Yuan thought. _And all this about the Angelus Project…what are you doing, Kratos?_

**Ying-Fa: I've been wanting to write about the Five Grand Cardinals, but I never realized how hard it was (especially Forcystus). Anywho, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please leave me reviews...pretty, pretty please with sugar on top!**


	10. Battle

The way to Palmacosta was slow but steady. Kratos insisted that they were not to take the main roads and nor were they to go too deep into the woods, lest the Desians were searching for them in there. Anna understood and was grateful, even if it meant sleeping on the hard ground every night and meals consisted of whatever they could find, be it rabbits or fish or berries.

After a few days of almost nothing but silence, Anna began talking to Noishe. Kratos' conversational skills were something to be desired and, other than explaining the Cruxis to her the day her Key Crest was destroyed, he had no interest in sharing anything more about himself with her. But Anna had been unable to handle the silence after having said next to nothing in all fifty years since she was in the Human Ranch, so she spoke to Noishe instead.

She would talk about her life before the Ranch, about her parents and her friends and the people she once knew. She would talk about what her dreams for the future had been before her marriage proposal to Hector. She would talk about the Ranch and the everlasting numbness that had become her life. Whatever was on her mind, she would talk about it. Noishe, it turned out, was actually a very good listener. He would whine sympathetically when she talked about the troubles in her life and, when she had described Kvar's minions putting the Exsphere in her hand, he even covered his eyes with his paws and flapped his huge ears closed as if she'd scared him.

One day, they were stopped near a bridge only a few miles away from the city. Anna and Noishe were alone as Kratos had left to get water and hunt. Anna sat on the bridge with her feet dangling over the side with Noishe right next to her with his head partway in her lap.

"That master of yours," said Anna, looking over in the direction where Kratos had disappeared. "I…just don't get him sometimes. If he's an angel, why can't he just make all the bad things in this world go away? Or does he not have that kind of power? Well, whatever. He's the only friend I have now, except for you, of course."

Noishe whined.

"I wonder what his life was like before he was an angel," Anna said. "I wonder…well, there are lots of things I would like to know about him but, at this rate, I'll never know. Is he always this stoic?"

Noishe whined again. Anna took that to mean "yep". Anna sighed.

"I can't help but think about what my life would have been like if I was never taken to the Human Ranch," she mused dully, now gazing up at the sun. "Most likely, I would have married Hector, moved away from Luin, had children, gotten fat, and then lived a monotonous life like every other girl I've ever known." She looked over at Noishe and smiled. "Does that not sound like a satisfactory life?"

Noishe turned his head to the side slightly as if to say "are you kidding?"

"You're probably right," said Anna. "Looking back, a part of me is really glad that I didn't marry Hector. He was rich, sure, and not bad looking but he was just so … so…"

Whine.

"Yeah, that," said Anna, as if Noishe's whine had finished her sentence. "I never really liked him that much anyway. If I had refused him, my parents would have gone berserk. They don't believe in women being free to do what they like. At least that's how things were fifty years ago. Still," she lowered her gaze bashfully. "I wouldn't have minded having children. I like kids, I always have. That's the one thing about marriage that didn't scare me away. Hmm." Anna reached out and patted Noishe on the head. "But I'll bet my brooding is really boring you, right?"

Noishe whined in protest.

Awhile later, Kratos returned and they continued onward. As they crossed the bridge, however, they found a figure blocking their path. He was short and wearing furs with his face covered by a mask. A bandit.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" he asked, snidely.

Anna moved slightly behind Kratos, who pulled out his sword threateningly. "Get out of our way," he said, coldly.

"Your way?" snapped the bandit. "This here is _our_ way. This is our bridge and those who don't pay the toll will suffer the consequences."

There were snickers and the sounds of blades being unsheathed. More bandits were appearing from out of the forest. There were at least twenty of them and Anna could see that some of them were magic-users. Impressive as he'd been in the past, Anna didn't know if Kratos could handle them all himself.

"Hey, that girl is pretty cute," said one of the bandits, eyeing Anna. "She might be worth something. How about it, tough guy? The girl in exchange for safe passage?"

Kratos' reply to the bandit's offer was a sword thrust to the gut. The barely had time to choke out a shocked cry before he fell to the ground. The other bandits cried out in outrage and drew their weapons.

"Anna! Take Noishe and head into the woods!" Kratos bellowed as the band closed in on them.

Anna didn't want to leave him to fight so many by himself, but his tone called for no argument. Anna darted for the trees and Kratos swung his blade with speed and power the likes of which Anna had never seen in her life. But the bandits were fast learners. Rather than running at him, they had their magic users and archers stand back and send spells and arrows at him from a distance. Kratos, the lone defender, was dodging all sorts of attacks, holding his own against the onslaught.

Turning around and seeing him surrounded and trying to take on so many was too much for Anna to stand around and witness. She rummaged in her bag and found a knife that she'd used mostly for cooking and ran to help him, but a hand reached out and grabbed a fistful of her short hair.

"Go on," sneered the bandit that had a hold on her. "Scream. Nobody's gonna save you. Your boyfriend is too busy taking care of the others. You're all alone."

"Let…go…of…me!" Anna shrieked. She reached behind her with the knife, trying to cut any part of her assailant, but he grabbed her wrist and tried to pull her back into the trees but before he could, he suddenly stopped and screamed in pain.

Noishe had appeared from nowhere and bit the assailant in his leg. The fiend dropped Anna and swung back a meaty fist and punched the animal across the face. Noishe whined in pain and the bandit wrapped his hands around Noishe's neck and tried to throttle him with his bare hands.

"Stupid, dumb, ANIMAL!" he roared. "Once I kill you, I'll turn you into a throw rug!"

"You don't get to touch him!" Anna yelled, throwing her arms around the bandit's neck and pulling backward with all her might. But the bandit reached up and pulled Anna off him and threw her bodily to the ground.

The bandit was temporarily torn, unable to decided it he wanted to kill Anna or Noishe first. But whereas Noishe was whining on the ground and Anna was trying to get back up, he picked Anna. With a mad roar, he charged at the girl and Anna sat up with her knife still in hand. The bandit fell on top of her and Anna was crushed by his terrible weight. She tried frantically to move, to raise her knife to stop him from moving any further, but the knife wouldn't move. Anna glanced downward and saw why. She could only see the handle of her knife because the blade had plunged right into the bandit's body.

For a moment, the two of them were completely frozen, unsure of what they were really seeing. But then a red stain spilled out from where the blade disappeared into his shirt and Anna felt a warm wetness coating her hand. The bandit got up on his feet and tried to yank the blade out of him but it was dug in deep. But as he yanked even harder, it came out with a rush of blood. That had been his fateful error. He'd used the last of his strength only to condemn himself. He swayed where he stood before he collapsed on the ground twitching.

Anna stared at the bandit with sheer horror. She glanced down at her hand to see that it was completely red with blood. Nausea passed over her and she was worried she was going to be sick. She moved closer toward the bandit and said timidly, "H-hey? Are…are you…?"

She couldn't finish her sentence. The bandit had stopped twitching.

He was dead.

Anna had killed him.

The fact hit her so terribly that she nearly fainted. She didn't know what to do. She was lost in the horrible fact that she had just taken somebody else's life. She felt ill, weak, and terribly frightened. Her whole body was in shock by the deed she had just committed.

Anna's thoughts were disrupted by Noishe howling. Anna whipped around to see that Kratos had narrowed the bandits down to five, but it had not been without a fight. There were scratches and blood all over him, some of his own as well as that of others and he looked pretty exhausted but fought on regardless. He had two of the bandits on the ground, but struggling to get back up with two more engaged in a clash of swords. The fifth remaining bandit, an archer, was pulling his bow taut with an arrow aimed at his unprotected back.

"KRATOS! WATCH OUT!" Anna yelled as the arrow was released. Kratos spun around but was unable to avoid the arrow. It struck him in the shoulder and he staggered backwards into the hands of the remaining bandits.

"NO!" Anna screamed, running up to the archer and wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing tightly. The archer writhed and tried to throw her off, but she clung onto him. She squeezed tighter and tighter around his neck, her mind focused only on keeping him away from Kratos. She'd killed once and she feared doing it again but this was no time to give into fear. Not when there were people who needed her. The other bandits saw her and moved in toward her instead, trying to save their ally. But that was a mistake.

Kratos sat up and looked down at his right shoulder where the arrow was protruding out of his flesh. His sword arm was useless like this, but that was not his only means of attack. There was one last thing he could do, even though it would cost him some mana, but he had no choice.

"_Sacred powers_," he chanted as his body began to glow. "_Cast thy purifying light upon these corrupt souls. Judgment!_"

There was a flash of blinding light as five glorious pillars descended from the sky and fell upon the remaining bandits. Anna was thrown backwards, blinded by the power, raising her arms to shield her eyes. Then, as the light faded, Anna dared a look around and felt her insides lurch.

The bandits were gone. Literally and completely _gone_. Nothing remained. No corpses. No pieces of clothing. _Nothing_. Anna didn't know how long she sat there in complete shock until the sound of Noishe whining caught her attention.

"Kratos," Anna remembered and ran over to him.

The seraph was half kneeling, half laying on the ground, breathing heavily with Noishe at his side. Anna hurried over to him. "Kratos! Are you alright?"

"I'm…fine," he breathed. "I…I haven't fought so many…by myself…in so long…. That last spell…drained a good deal of…my mana…I…I have to…" he tried to get up, but Anna pushed him back down.

"No, you mustn't move," Anna insisted. "You must rest."

"There is…no time," said Kratos. "The Desians…the Palmacosta Ranch…will have heard…this commotion…. I have…we…must…" Kratos' strength finally gave way and he collapsed.

"Kratos!" Anna cried. "Noishe, help me."

Noishe whined in agreement.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

The Desian soldiers of the Palmacosta ranch appeared on the bloody scene later that evening. They kicked over bodies and examined them, trying to discern what had happened there.

"These must be those bandits that made a living off ambushing people trying to cross the bridge," said the leader. "Hm. Doesn't look like any pilgrims or travelers are amongst the dead."

"What do you think happened to them?" asked one of the subordinates.

"Probably a fight turned ugly," said the leader. "Serves them right. They've been killing a whole bunch of travelers and making it harder to find captives for Lord Magnius."

"Should we bury them?"

"Nah. The monsters and other animals will devour them," said the leader with a shrug. "Now, did you check to look for any women in their ranks?"

"Yes sir, but it looks like there weren't any."

"So that woman with the Exsphere that Lord Magnius is looking for must not be here," said the leader. "All right, you all. Let's head back."

Anna heard the Desians leaving and breathed her first sigh of relief. She and Noishe had carried Kratos down the edge of a cliff that lead to a sandy beach beside the ocean. Anna kept her ears strained for any sounds of more Desians coming upon them, but no more came after them.

"It's getting dark," Anna noticed aloud, glancing across the ocean at the setting sun. "Let's build a fire and rest awhile, Noishe. We can move again when Kratos wakes up."

Noishe whined in agreement.

When Anna got the fire going (she'd been practicing during her travels and had quite gotten the hang of it) she tended to Kratos' injuries. She pulled out the arrow in his shoulder and bandaged up the cuts all over his body. When she was finished, she turned to the fire to warm herself up when she heard Kratos awaken behind her.

"Kratos!" Anna cried, turning to see him sitting up. "Thank heavens! Are you alright?"

"Anna?" he said, quietly. "Where…how did…?"

"I brought you down the rock face with Noishe and hid from the Desians," Anna explained. "We just heard them leave. They didn't find us. You," she shook her head. "You shouldn't have done that, Kratos. I know you're an angel and I know how powerful you are but twenty against one is kinda pushing it, don't you think?"

Kratos stood up shakily. "It couldn't be helped," he said, tonelessly. "They refused to back away and even if we did escape they would have very likely sold us out to the Desians. It's our job to stay out of Cruxis' sight, no matter the cost."

"Even if the cost is your own life!" Anna said, angrily.

"My…life has little merit," said Kratos, flatly. "Only the mana in my body is of any importance to the Cruxis. If I die, my hope of defeating them is the only thing that is lost. They will replace me and the world will continue to suffer. But if they get their hands on that Exsphere then the world will suffer even worse than it is now. Between the two of us, my death is the lesser of two…"

Before he could finish his thought, Anna marched over to him and smacked him across the face. His head snapped sideways from the impact, his eyes wide and stunned by the sudden attack. He had just turned back to her to tell her off when she took hold of his front and stared into his face, her eyes filled with hot tears.

"Don't say that!" Anna yelled. "Don't you say things like that! How can you talk that way! I may not know much about your life or what you've been through but you still have no right to speak that way. What about all that stuff you said before, about wanting to put an end to the suffering of the world? You're just going to let that die? There's hundreds, thousands of people who are constantly suffering, being killed, and their best hope right now is _you!_ You left the Cruxis behind to try and save them all and if you die, they have no hope!

And what about me? You're just going to leave me as well? You were the one who said that I couldn't survive in this world without your help! You…you're the only…the only friend I have in the whole world right now. You're the only one I have! I know it's selfish but without you… I'm all alone. I'm completely alone with this cursed Exsphere in my hand! You're…_You're the only one I have!_"

Anna's tears took over and she buried her face in Kratos' chest. She stood there for a long time, her shoulders shaking as she cried out her rage. But then, slowly, Kratos raised his arms and wrapped them around her securely. He lowered his head to Anna's ear and spoke very quietly.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I'm sorry. Anna, I'm…I'm sorry."

And they stayed embraced until Anna stopped crying.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

The next day, in the brightness of midday, Anna and Kratos could make out a cityscape just a few miles ahead of them, with most of its buildings nestled upon the ocean itself.

"Finally," said Kratos. "We've reached out destination at last, Anna."

"I can't believe we're finally here," said Anna, smiling for the first time in days. "Palmacosta!"


	11. City

Palmacosta was definitely a far cry from any city Anna had seen yet. The enormous buildings, the flurry of busy people, the streets set directly above flowing water, it was all a little bit of a culture shock to Anna. She felt lost and a little out of place in the city and was glad that Kratos was with her. That is, until he decided they needed to separate.

"I need to visit the hall of records in the Palmacosta Academy," he told her. "You should find a place to stay."

"Couldn't we just stay at an inn like we did in Asgard?" Anna asked, uncertainly.

"The inns are costly and my business here might take awhile," Kratos informed her. "We'll have to make long term arrangements. It may also look less suspicious should the Desians come around here. We were lucky to miss the ones earlier."

"Alright," sighed Anna. "But don't take too long. I don't want to get lost in the city all by myself."

"Just keep Noishe with you, and you'll be fine," said Kratos and with that, he left.

Anna wandered about, becoming easily fascinated by almost everything. Kratos had given her a wallet with some gald and Anna had to exercise a lot of restraint not to buy just anything. It had taken all her will power to not to purchase a gleaming Silver Circlet and a pearly Mermaid's Tear offered by a very convincing vender near the port. As she forced herself to walk away, Anna almost crashed into a group of girls and one of them knelt into a puddle on the ground.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" snapped one of the fallen girl's companions.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Anna, regaining her balance.

"Urgh," the girl who fell complained. "You practically ruined my new dress! I just bought this today! How dare you?"

"Hey," Anna shot back. "I'm trying to apologize! There's no need to get so rude about it."

The girl stood up and sneered at Anna. "Nasty little small town girls," she hissed. "They have no right to barge in here to Palmacosta."

"And snot-nosed city girls need to deflate their overlarge heads and get over themselves," Anna shot back.

"Oh! Why you little…!"

"Enough of this!"

A woman hurried over to the scene. She was older with brown hair that was streaked heavily with silver a stern look on her wrinkled face. "That's quite enough," she said. "This young lady was trying to apologize and all you do is attack her."

"But pests like her are always coming into the city," the girl complained. "They all think that Governor-General Dorr has all the time in the world to save everyone because of the militia. Don't they realize that the more people that wander into the city just make his job worse?"

"That's exactly the kind of behavior that we _don't_ need, Eliza," said the woman. "Now, I suggest you go off and be a spoiled brat someplace else."

The girl named Eliza huffed angrily and stormed away with her friends. The woman than turned to Anna and smiled kindly at her. "Please forgive them," she said. "I hope you won't judge us all like her. Deep down they are just unkind people."

"That's fine," said Anna. "Thanks for your help."

"Oh, you're welcome," she said. "Although, I admit I haven't seen you around the city. Did you come here recently?"

"Just this morning," said Anna. "I just got here with…er…a friend of mine. My name is Anna."

"It's wonderful to meet you, Anna," said the woman, beaming. "I am Marble."

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"The loft upstairs is normally where my daughter and her husband stay," said Marble upon entering her item shop. "There are two rooms up there so you and your friend are more than welcome to make use of it. Oh, and your friendly pet as well," she added, patting Noishe on the head. Noishe whined happily and leaned into her warm hand.

"Your daughter won't mind?" said Anna, unsure.

"Oh, I don't see how she would," Marble said. "She and her husband are in Izoold at the moment. My son-in-law is in the militia and was moved to Izoold to help repair the village from a recent attack from the Desians. My daughter went with him on the voyage. She's expecting her first child very soon and didn't want to be apart from her husband should the child arrive."

"That's very brave of them," said Anna, smiling. "Congratulations, by the way. Will this be your first grandchild?"

"Indeed it will," said Marble, kindly. "I'm sure Cacao would be happy to let you stay in the loft. And I'm very grateful for your offer to help me in the shop. It's been hard without the extra pair of hands."

"It's the least I could do for all the help you've offered me," said Anna. "My family owned an item shop, so I know what to do."

"What good fortune," said Marble.

Anna smiled and set about helping Marble around the shop. It was very nice to be back in the routine of running a shop again. It was like her time at the Desian Ranch had never happened and she was still helping her mother and father at the Crossroads. Marble was a very kind and constantly smiling woman. She told Anna all that she would need to know about living in Palmacosta and told her stories about her life, her late husband, her daughter and many other things.

The day flew by and soon Kratos appeared in the shop. Judging from the fact that he looked just as emotionless and stern as ever, Anna guessed that he hadn't managed to find what he was looking for at the Academy.

"Kratos," Anna said, hurrying over to him. "I found a place to stay. Marble said that we could stay in the loft above her shop until we're ready to move on towards the Eastern Continent."

"Good," said Kratos. "That will save us a lot of time and effort." He turned to Marble. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"Oh, not at all," said Marble. "So this is the man you're traveling with, Anna. My, my, he certainly is handsome. Is he your fiancé?"

Anna choked and turned a brilliant shade of scarlet. "Wh-wh-what!" she cried. "Ah! Um! That's not…I mean…we're…um…" Marble was smirking teasingly at this point. "We're…no…that is…he's my…I mean, I'm his…"

"Fare," said Kratos, stopping Anna's babbling.

"Fare?" said Marble.

"I'm a mercenary, paid by Anna's family to safely escort her to the Eastern Continent," Kratos said, plainly.

"Ah, I see," said Marble, though it was clear from her expression she didn't really believe him. "Well, in that case, you're both welcome to stay as long as you need."

They both thanked Marble again. In her mind, though, Anna couldn't help but huff at Kratos. So he was still playing the "mercenary" card, eh? Anna quickly shot the idea out of her mind.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

And so life had taken an upturn for Anna. True, her dreams were still filled with awful visions of the human ranch and the bandit she'd killed on the way to the city and there was still no way of removing the Exsphere, but these things she was able to forget while working in Marble's shop.

She would wake up and sweep floors and dust shelves before Marble awoke and then the two of them would stock the shelves together before the customers started to arrive. Anna used some of her father's bargaining tricks to make sure that the best deal was made and Marble was thrilled.

As enjoyable and peaceful as Anna's new life was, there was one slight downside. Kratos would disappear before she woke up and would not return until late. Anna knew that he was probably still searching through the records at the Academy and she could tell his efforts were proving unsuccessful. He was even more silent and gaunt than ever and Anna could see signs of exhaustion pulling down on his handsome face. She couldn't help but feel concerned for him. He'd saved her life several times over and she'd done very little, if anything, for him in return. But she didn't know what to do. Kratos declined any help she offered him and didn't want to speak about what he was researching.

"If you're concerned for him then let him know," said Marble, one evening after the shop had closed.

"But he never speaks to me, Marble," Anna complained, putting the last of the items away and removing her apron. "He's been with me for a long time now and I…hardly know anything about him. I _want_ to help him, but I don't know how. He won't let me."

"Seems to me," said Marble. "That he's still trying to protect you. Protection isn't always saving someone from falling off a cliff or pulling them out of a raging sea. Whatever it is in his life, he feels it may only cause more trouble for you if you knew."

"After all I've been through, you'd think that _he'd_ think I could handle it," said Anna, bitterly.

"All you've been through?" Marble asked.

Anna jumped. She hadn't told Marble about the Human Ranch. "Oh, um, leaving home and fleeing from the Desians and…y'know, things like that."

"Ah, I see," said Marble, but in the same way she had before. "Well, perhaps you're mercenary friend thinks that you have enough to worry about without him dropping his problems onto you as well."

"He just thinks I'm a little girl who can't handle it," said Anna, voicing her true fear for the first time.

"Oh, now, that's not very fair Anna," said Marble. "You have no idea what he's thinking."

"I guess not," said Anna. "Well, I'm going to take the garbage out."

"Alright dear," said Marble heavily. "Just let me know it you have to address this further."

Anna nodded and grabbed the bag to take it outside. As she threw it away, Anna glanced around and saw Kratos standing a few yards away. Anna blinked in confusion. He was a little earlier than normal. But then she noticed he was not alone. A couple of girls were standing in front of him, blocking his way to Marble's shop. Anna could recognize one of them as Eliza, the girl who'd given Anna a hard time her first day in Palmacosta. Anna moved closer so she could hear what was being said.

"…gotta be bored staying with Granny Marble and that small-town-twit all the time," Eliza was saying. "Why don't you come with us to the Potion shop for awhile? You look like you could use some fun."

The girls giggled suggestively. Anna felt her insides squirm with disgust. Anna was about to march over there and rip out a chunk of that girl's hair when Kratos spoke.

"I must politely decline," he said to Eliza, in a not very polite tone. He made as if to pass them, but Eliza wasn't going to give up without a fight.

"Oh, don't be mean," she insisted, reaching out to grab his arm. "Come on and play with…ah!"

Kratos pulled his arm out of her grip so violently that Eliza stumbled backwards a few steps. "I gave you my answer," he said, coldly. "Go home."

The girls squealed at his harsh tone and hurried away, crying at how mean the handsome mercenary was being. Kratos rolled his eyes in disgust and turned his back on them. But then he noticed Anna standing in the shadows. His expression quickly softened.

"Anna," he said.

"Kratos," Anna stammered. "Are…um… you alright?"

"I'm fine," he told her shortly. "What are you doing out here?"

"Just finishing with helping Marble," said Anna. "I'm…eh," she struggled to find words. "I'm…sorry you had to…go through that." She jerked her head in the direction where the girls had fled.

"What? Oh," he glanced back. "Don't worry about that. Personally, I'm just embarrassed you had to witness that."

"Oh, I'm…its fine," said Anna, doing her best to show that it was true. "Did you…um…you… you could have gone with them if you wanted," Anna blurted out.

Kratos raised an eyebrow.

"I…I mean," Anna blushed again and fumbled to find proper words. "They…they did kinda have a point. You…you probably are kinda tired with putting up with me so much. If you wanted…"

"But I didn't want to," said Kratos. "I can think of thousands of things I would rather do than be stuck with a crowd like that."

"Oh," said Anna, blushing even deeper. "Oh, that's…that's good. I just…you've been…working in the Academy a lot and I was…I don't want you to feel like you couldn't do what you wanted because you still felt obligated to help me." By this point Anna just wished she knew how to shut herself up. "I mean, you're…well, I'm just a…and you're…"

Anna's ramblings were disrupted by Kratos laying a hand on her shoulder. Anna looked up at him and felt herself blush so deeply she was afraid her face would stay that color forever.

"There is no obligation," said Kratos, seriously. "I'm staying her and watching you, not only because I must, but because I want to. I apologize if I was making you worry, Anna. That's the last thing you need right now."

Anna felt a shiver run down her spine and she suddenly remembered the embrace they'd shared after the run in with the bandits. She was suddenly attacked by the sudden urge to embrace him again. After a moment, Kratos' hand slid down from her sholder and took hold of Anna's hand.

"You shouldn't be out at night like this," he said, quietly. "I'll take you back inside."

Anna let herself be guided by Kratos and felt her chest tighten painfully as she held his hand. _Oh boy,_ she thought, heavily.

_I'm falling in love with him, aren't I?_

**Ying-Fa: And so it begins. Alright the truth is, I was several chapters ahead when I started posting this story. Now, however, I am completely caught up. That means that the wait between chapters may lengthen, but fear not for I have no intention of dropping this story, review count be darned! Okay, next chapter is Kratos' POV! Hope to see you there.**


	12. Fallen

**Ying-Fa: Happy Valentine's Day! Okay, so I was pretty freaking _terrified_ to write as Kratos. Please, please, send feedback!**

From the very start, from the moment he'd saved her from the hunter in the forest, he'd felt his motives changing. He'd been a fool. He should have been more careful, should have seen this coming. He'd always been careful so this was a surprise to him. How could he have not foreseen the trap that he'd set for himself when he brought the girl with him? Why hadn't he raised his guard as he should have, to prevent himself falling into such a devastating disaster?

Well, he could answer that. He hadn't raised his guard because he didn't think he needed to. He'd been alive for so long, stretching on and on while the lives of other men, his kin, died away. Entire lifetimes of men passed before him in a blink of an eye. He'd witnessed people being born and seeing their lives up until they are claimed by death in their old age. He didn't think he'd had to raise his guard because it had been built so strongly that he'd thought it unbreakable. There was no way a girl like this would be able to smash the defenses that had kept him sane for thousands of years.

But that hadn't been the case. Anna was just…so very human. She seemed very real to him. She smiled when she was happy, cried when she was sad, talked when things were too quiet, learned by asking questions (a lot of them). Anna was exactly what she portrayed herself to be, a normal human girl whose life had been ripped apart by the Desians. She was no weeping damsel, no delicate flower, but neither was she overly strong or brash. You'd probably find a woman like her anywhere and that, more than anything, was what drew him to her.

He could see that she was happier now that they'd established something of a life here in Palmacosta. He didn't see much of her during the day as he spent his time searching through documents in the Academy but when he did see her he could see a difference from how she had started. She smiled more easily now and laughed too. Even though time was passing quickly, Anna had kept her hair short from the first time he'd cut it so long ago. The kind shop owner, Marble, was supplying her with new clothes so that she blended in easily with the city folk. These things, more than anything, seemed to enhance her every trait and characteristic so that she took on a beauty that the Ranch had not been able to destroy.

And this was exactly what he should have seen coming. He should have expected that, in growing close to her, she would become more to him than just something that needed protecting. She'd become a person of meaning to him and, slowly, her happiness meant more to him than his initial objective.

She was not the reason that he came down here to the surface, nor was she his motive for betraying Cruxis. He'd wanted find a way to wield the Eternal Sword himself and set right the wrongs committed by Yggdrasill and the others. He'd wanted the Great Seed to germinate so the worlds need no longer fight for mana. The world had been his objective but now a single girl was throwing all of his plans into chaos. That's why he spent so many hours in the Academy and so little time in Anna's presence. He'd hoped to distance himself to her somewhat, to get her off his mind and focus on what he'd come here to do.

Despite all his efforts, however, Anna still found ways to intrude in his life. No matter how long it took him to return, he would always find a plate of food waiting for him when he got back. Whenever they did get the chance to see each other, Anna smile and welcome him warmly as though just by seeing him her day was complete. Also, there had been one instance when he'd gotten back earlier than normal and both Anna and Marble were still awake. Marble, it seemed, had made a new dress for Anna and the two were admiring how she looked in it from the full-length mirror in the room. From the hallway, Kratos had caught sight of Anna's reflection in the mirror. Upon seeing her in the dress, smiling and spinning playfully, he'd felt his whole being freeze. He didn't know how long he'd gaped at her until he was finally able to shake himself free from his thoughts and move on, resisting the temptation to hit himself in the head for his own stupidity.

Anna was important to him. The world itself was no longer as important as it once was, but a world in which Anna can live without fear, where she no longer needed to hide and disguise herself, that was what he wanted to find. What he wanted now was to give her a new life in a free world. She was his reasons now. His feelings for her were continuing to mount, despite his efforts to keep them at bay.

But there were too many things keeping them apart. Anna was still wanted by the Desians and her Exsphere was important to the Cruxis. As long as she was with him, a Cruxis traitor, she was in constant danger. Then there was the fact that he was an angel, a human whose internal clock had been forever frozen in time. Anna, on the other hand was still human. Her internal clock had been stopped while her body had been completely parasitized by the Exsphere, but if they found a proper Key Crest for her, she may continue to live on as a normal human again.

Worse yet, he had nothing to offer Anna. He may be able to raise his sword in her defense and hide her from Desians, but there was little more he could give her. All he'd once had was completely lost with time. Anna deserved to have her normal life back, to have the family she'd lost and the marriage she'd missed out on (Anna probably didn't think he knew about the fiancé she'd once had, but he actually had been paying attention to all her conversations with Noishe).

After a month of living in Palmacosta, an event brought to light just how serious his situation was getting. As he had been about to leave for the Academy as Anna and Marble were opening the shop when they heard loud voices and cries coming from outside. Marble ran to the window and looked out.

"Desians," she said. "They've come to the city again. They sometimes come here for supplies."

Anna froze in fear. Kratos hurried over to Marble and glanced out the window. Sure enough, half a dozen Desians were marching their way, whips in hands and faces covered by their masked helmets.

"Marble," Kratos said at once. "We need a place to hide Anna."

"The cellar," said Marble, pointing to a rug behind the counter. "That's the best place in the whole house. Hurry and go quickly."

Kratos nodded and quickly moved the rug aside and pulled open the hidden trapdoor underneath. He and Anna descended the ladder into the dark cellar and Anna pulled the door shut behind her. Once they were hidden, Marble covered the door with the rug again, leaving the two in complete darkness.

"H-how long do you think they're going to be here?" Anna stammered in the darkness.

"Hopefully not too long," said Kratos, reaching out in the darkness to touch her shoulder. "There's not much they can do to a city like this. The military will protect them, as will the Governor-General."

"Good," said Anna.

After a moment of silence, Kratos felt a warm pressure on the hand he had on Anna's shoulder. Even in the darkness, he could tell that she'd laid her cheek on it, leaning in to his touch. Yet again, he'd felt a yearning that he knew he wasn't supposed to feel. He quickly steered his thoughts away from such things and gently took his hand away from Anna's warm touch.

"Anna, there's something I've been meaning to discuss with you," he said, forcing his voice into a business-like tone.

"Ah, um, okay," said Anna, sounding confused.

"It won't be much longer before my business here in Palmacosta is finished," Kratos told her. "Before long, I will have all the information I need from this place."

"Oh," said Anna. "So, we're leaving soon? I see."

"Does it bother you?" Kratos asked.

"No…well, yeah, kinda," Anna admitted. "I will miss Marble and I've started to really like it here. I'll be sad to leave, but I understand how things work. As much as I've enjoyed it here, it makes sense that I can't stay forever."

"Actually," said Kratos, choosing his words carefully. "I've thought everything over and…perhaps it would be best if you remained here in Palmacosta…and I left alone."

There was only silence within the darkness for a moment. Kratos was wishing he could see Anna's face properly. He went on, "You have already established a life here in the city and have been able to blend in with the rest of the civilians. As long as you remain vigilant and careful of the Desians, then you'll have nothing to fear. You can have a life here, Anna. Marble will look after you. I don't think there is anything else I can do for you any longer."

He remained quiet for awhile, waiting for Anna's reply. With luck she will agree to what he said and accept it. Maybe she would realize that this was best for her. She could have a life again. Not the one she'd lost years ago, but a new one here in the city. This was what was best for her, he knew. Yet...

"I…don't like that idea," Anna said, her voice calm but strong. "I want to keep traveling with you."

"Didn't you just say that you like it here?" Kratos asked.

"I do," said Anna. "But I still want to be with you. I love Marble, she's been the greatest blessing and the most wonderful friend, but you're more important to me than that. I still want to be with you."

"Continuing to travel with me will put you into more danger than if you remained here," said Kratos.

"I know," Anna admitted. "I just don't care very much. I don't want to be away from you."

"Anna, listen to me," said Kratos, seriously. "There's nothing more important than keeping you out of the hands of the Desians and you can stay away from them here better than anywhere. You can…"

"Kratos!"

Anna said his name so forcefully that he immediately stopped. In the darkness he felt her draw near and he suddenly felt her hands on his chest. Though he could barely see her, he knew that she was looking right up into his face.

"I know what you're saying and I'm happy to hear that you care for me, but I don't want to be away from you," she said her voice as strong as ever. "Even after living here like we have, as far as I'm concerned you're still the only person I have in this world. You matter to me more than anyone else…more than anybody did even before I went to the Ranch.

"I…I'm in love with you."

Those words made him freeze inside. He could feel his centuries-old control slipping away but he forced himself to keep a grip on it. He couldn't lose control now, or there may be no going back and it would be too late to prevent things that could only make the situation worse.

"Your…" Kratos managed to find his voice. "Your love is misplaced, Anna."

"I don't think so," said Anna. "I've been falling for you for awhile now. Of everyone in this world…you've become the one that's most important to me. I'm going to…try and respect you as much as I can. If you don't think about me that way, then fine. I'll…put up with it. It'll hurt, but I can bare it. At the very least, you can keep me beside you awhile longer, can't you?" She stepped in closer and wrapped her arms around him. "All I want right now is to be near you. I want to be with you. Just keep me near you and…I'll never say another word about it. I won't speak of this ever again but…just don't tell me that I can never be with the one I love. Please…just keep me with you."

Her voice was so calm yet full of emotion that he couldn't help but return her embrace once again. He took comfort in the feeling of having her so near him. He hadn't held anyone like this in thousands of years and yet, here was Anna, the girl who was throwing the whole world in jeopardy just by loving him.

Kratos was brought back to his senses only a few moments later when the trapdoor opened and Marble's face peered down at them. The two broke apart at once. The old woman smiled at them.

"The Desians have left," she informed them, sweetly. "But, of course, if you would like to stay down here a while longer, that's alright with me."

Kratos had to hide his embarrassed face with his hand while Anna blushed a deep shade of magenta.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Later that evening, as Kratos returned from that day's search at the Academy, he returned to the item shop to find Marble waiting for him in the kitchen.

"Ah, there you are," she said, kindly.

"What are you doing up at this hour?" Kratos asked.

"Anna and I got so caught up in restocking the shelves that we lost track of time," said Marble. "She's only just gone upstairs, so she's probably still up."

"I see," said Kratos. "Well then, I bid you goodnight."

As he made to pass her, the old woman spoke again to make him stop.

"You know that she loves you dearly, don't you?" she said. "Anna, I mean. For the past few weeks all she can talk about is you. But now she's telling me that you want to leave her here while you go off on your own?

Kratos shook his head. "She will be much better off without me."

"Better off?" said Marble. "Better off with her heart torn in two and left in a city so far from home? That doesn't sound much better off to me."

Kratos turned to stare at Marble, trying to figure out how to make her understand his situation. Marble sighed and stood up from her chair.

"Young man," she said, softly. "I love that girl like a niece. She's been such a comfort to me. Just recently, my daughter gave birth to a daughter of her own and I wasn't there to see it. Anna was a great comfort to me. That's what she is. A comfortable presence that is always there when you need her. She's determined and brave, braver than I think you give her credit for. She smiles for others, lends her strength to those who need it, she is a joy. I would think any man would be lucky to have her by his side." Marble walked over and touched Kratos' arm. "Whatever you decide, just take into account that that girl's happiness is the happiness of those around her. She's become her true self and it is a beautiful person indeed. So, please, think carefully before you make any final decisions on your own. Please remember her."

Marble then patted his shoulder and walked off to her room. Kratos watched her go and felt sick and confused again. He climbed the stairs to the loft and, for a moment, eyed the door opposite his, the door that led to Anna's room. He shook his head and entered his own room. Noishe was laying on the ground, asleep, his ears twitching.

Kratos removed his cape, boots and gloves before he sat down on the bed and immersed himself in deep thoughts. If he was honest with himself, he wanted to be with Anna, more than he cared to admit. She was the human presence that he had not known for so long. He'd forgotten such things, such feelings as these, after being buried by the Cruxis for so long. But it was because he was a Cruxis that he couldn't be with her. Together, they were more likely to be found. Apart, they had a better chance. Yggdrasill wouldn't rest until he'd recaptured Kratos and Anna was being hunted down at this very moment for her Exsphere. They couldn't be together much longer or they wouldn't last. It wasn't like before. Here in the city, Anna had Marble to watch over her and a government to protect her. It didn't matter what he wanted, she was what mattered. It wasn't about…what he wanted…

Then, at that moment, something clicked in his mind. A thought so surprising and forceful that he felt physically stunned by it. He wanted to be with Anna. It wasn't mere preference or obligation or anything like that at all. He _wanted_ to be with her! She meant more to him than anyone in the past four millennia. She was his reason now. She was why he wanted to save the world now. If he saved the world now, it would be so that Anna need not suffer anymore. If he did anything now, it was for her. It was all for her. He'd allowed himself to grow so close to her and now she had become everything to him.

He'd grown so close to her that he now loved her so dearly he couldn't handle it.

Kratos felt overwhelmed by these thoughts. Ever since he'd agreed to forever follow Mithos' ideals, he'd done nothing so selfish as to love someone like this. His whole life with the Cruxis was nothing but servitude and gratitude, pity and shame. But these feelings for Anna were all his own. The most selfish thing he'd done in four thousand years.

And he wasn't going to deny himself a moment longer.

His mind made up, Kratos got up and left his room. After a moment's hesitation, he reached out and knocked on Anna's door. He feared she would already be asleep, but after a moment, he heard her voice call out, "Come on in!" Kratos braced himself and entered.

Anna was sitting on her bed, facing the window, but she turned around to see who it was and she smiled brightly. "Kratos," she said.

"Anna," he replied, his voice sounding just a little deeper than normal. "May I come in for a moment?"

"Of course," Anna replied.

Resigning himself, he stepped into the room and shut the door.


	13. Selfish

Anna stared out the window of her room, thinking on what had happened earlier that day in the cellar. Had it been a mistake to tell Kratos that she loved him? It would have been a lie to say anything otherwise, because she had fallen in love with him, completely and irrevocably. But had her actions driven him away? Would he leave without her and leave her in Palmacosta?

Just as these fears occurred to her, Anna heard a knock on her door. "Come on in," she called, thinking it might be Marble. Instead, it was Kratos.

"Kratos," she said, smiling at him. Well, at least know she knew she hadn't completely driven him away.

"Anna," Kratos said his voice deep. "May I come in for a moment?"

"Of course," said Anna.

Kratos came into the room and shut the door behind him. He crossed the room in only two strides and sat down on the bed next to her. Anna wondered what this could be about. They hadn't really sat down and spoken to one another in a long time. She once again began to worry about what she'd said in the cellar. But, thankfully, he spoke before she could.

"I have to apologize to you, Anna," he said, not looking at her. "I fear I was rather rude to you in the cellar earlier today. You said so much to me and I…had very little to say in return."

Anna blinked. "Th-that's okay," she said. "It's fine, really…"

"No, it isn't," Kratos interrupted. He turned his face to her and she saw that he had a very strange expression on his face. His eyes were full of a strong emotion that she'd never seen before.

"Anna," he said, softly. "You have to understand that I…I have nothing to offer you. I have nothing here that I can give to you so that you can have a proper life. You deserve your life back and I…staying with me won't give you the life you deserve, the life you need."

Anna lowered her gaze thoughtfully. "There was someone…once…who could give me a very good life," she told him. "A man who had money and influence told me that he wanted me to marry him, and I would have for those reasons only. I would have dealt with being married to someone I didn't love just to have the life that every girl would have dreamed of having.

"But, he abandoned me. When he saw the Desians coming for us, we ran. I tripped and he looked back and saw me fall. In that moment, he had a choice. He could have come back and helped me and we might both have been caught. He would have suffered the Human Ranch with me. Instead, he took one look at me lying on the ground, calling to him for help…and he kept running. He left me there and took someone else as his wife and forgot that I ever existed…he buried his guilt away and basked in his "well-deserved" lifestyle. That's all he cared about."

She looked back up at Kratos and there was fire in her eyes. "I put a comfortable life before love once and it earned me fifty years in an ageless hell. I overlooked my own feelings and thought only about what the world would think of my choice. But…I know better now. I'm not going to make that choice again. I don't want to make another mistake like that.

"I don't mind having nothing…as long as I have you."

Anna leaned in closer and put her hand on Kratos's face. "I don't care about those things anymore. I just want to be with you. I love you and…I don't want to be apart."

Kratos reached up and touched the hand that she had to his cheek, but didn't make any move to remove it. "You might regret it," he warned her, giving her one last chance to back away.

Anna shook her head. "I haven't regretted a thing since we met," she said. "I'll never regret meeting you, Kratos. Never."

After only a second of silence, Kratos leaned inward and pressed his lips to Anna's. Anna was momentarily stunned by this movement, but she quickly recovered and returned his kiss eagerly. She moved in closer and wrapped her arms around him and he did the same. Anna was lost in the feeling of his strong arms wrapped around her, of the sweet press of his lips to hers. Within moments, she felt herself wanting more from him. Her kiss became more demanding as she opened her mouth and felt him respond to her eagerness. She moved in closer so that she could feel more of him against her. She felt hot all over, a yearning that she couldn't control.

Kratos's hands started to roam over her body, sliding down her back and firmly down her sides. His fingers meshed with the cloth of her dress, clearly wanting it gone. Anna's heartbeat grew faster and faster, she felt herself going a little lightheaded from the intensity of it all. But she couldn't ask him to stop or try to control herself. She loved him and wanted him too much to try and deny herself.

Anna trailed her hands down to the belt around his waist and miraculously found out how to unbuckle it without too much fumbling. Then she dipped her hands under his shirt and could feel his strong, muscled chest underneath. She was so busy in what she was doing that she didn't notice that Kratos was undoing the buttons in the back of her dress until she felt a fresh breath of cold air on the bare skin of her back.

Thoughts, words, rationality; they were all completely unnecessary where they were. Everything in the world flew right out of their minds as they allowed love and desire to take control of them. Their choices had been made and the wheels of destiny began to turn.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Kratos opened his eyes with some difficulty. His eyelids seemed strangely heavy and his body was relaxed and his mind groggy. He'd fallen asleep? How long had it been since he'd slept properly like this? Far too long, he realized. He glanced around the room. It was basked in pre-dawn light, leaving the room cast in light blue from the only window. Kratos turned his head to the side. Anna was lying beside him, fast asleep, with one hand resting on his chest.

He closed his eyes again and spun through the memories of the previous night, realizing what he had done. He sat up and got carefully out of bed so that he wouldn't disturb Anna. There was a robe in the corner of the room and he slipped in on and walked over towards the window, deep in thought. He glanced upward and saw the few remaining stars that hadn't yet disappeared from the nearing light of day.

The stars were one of the few things he had any faith in anymore. Even after four thousand years of meaningless existence, they remained as they always had been. The constellations were the same, the formations were as they should be, there was no difference to them now then there had been when he had been truly alive. Even after so many years of staring up at them, he didn't know the exact number of them all. That was another thing that remained the same. The stars were without number and would always be so.

He used to think that he was like a star, forever unchanging and trapped in timeless eternity. He used to believe that he would never change and, in those beliefs, he feared that the worlds would never change either. Mithos had promised him that he'd set things right the moment Martel was revived, but Kratos no longer knew if he believed him or not. Even if he did reunite them, the fact remained that Mithos still planned to force an Age of Lifeless Beings upon the world. If that was to be the future of this world, he would have no part in it.

Unlike what he believed, he had changed. He'd betrayed Mithos, something he swore he would never do. He fell in love with Anna, which he would never have expected of himself. He was searching for a way for a human to use the Eternal Sword so that he could do what Mithos had failed to do. The world couldn't stay the way it was now and he couldn't have it the way it was if he was to create a new life for himself…and Anna.

Kratos glanced back at Anna's sleeping form and sighed deeply. After what had transpired between them, he _couldn't_ bring himself to leave her behind. He needed her just as much as she needed him. He loved her, that he knew, and he couldn't forsake her any longer. He would find a way for them both to live in a world that no longer suffered as it did now.

But there was still much to do. The Desians and Cruxis were still after them. They would not rest until they found them. If Yggdrasill found out about Kratos's plan to steal the Eternal Sword for himself, there would be no forgiving him. Yggdrasill wouldn't accept what he'd done and, if anything, only their old friendship could save him from death…or a worse fate. He turned back to the window and watched the new day coming to life. He no longer needed to stay in Palmacosta. He'd discovered all he needed in the Academy and now they were free to leave and keep moving. They would leave later today and move onward, covering their tracks as they went. They needed to keep running, keep moving, if they were to stay together.

Kratos heard Anna wake up behind him and heard her slid out of the bed. After a moment, he felt her soft arms wrap themselves around his body and she pressed herself to his back. He slid his hands over her arms and leaned back into her embrace.

"Come back to bed," she said softly, resting her cheek on his shoulder.

Kratos didn't answer her right away. "We will have to leave Palmacosta," he told her. "Today."

Her arms slackened around him and she raised her self onto her toes to get a decent look at his face. "We? So…we're leaving together?"

"If you still wanted to."

"R-really?"

"Yes," Kratos said. "I realized that it's not safe to leave you in a place that's so close to a Human Ranch…and I no longer feel the need to stay apart. I've decided that, if I am to continue in this selfish betrayal, then I might as well allow myself to be selfish in all things." He turned around in her arms and looked her right in the eye. "And, right now, my selfishness…is telling me that I don't want to be apart from you. So, we're going…together."

Anna looked up at him and tears, happy ones, welled up in her eyes. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply and he responded with all he had. It seemed they weren't going to be heading downstairs for awhile longer…

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"I've managed to secure a place for both of you on a ship that's headed for Izoold," Marble said to them. "The Captain is a friend of my son-in-law. He'll see that you are both safely seen to Izoold."

"Marble," said Anna, tearfully. "I…I don't think I'll ever forget your kindness. You've done so much for us…"

"Now, now," said the older woman, her voice shaking. "Y-you're not about to tug at an old woman's heartstrings now are you?"

"I'll miss you!" Anna cried.

"So will I!" Marble wept.

Kratos was able to interrupt the sob session by clearing his throat loudly and the two women separated.

"Goodbye Marble," Anna called as they left the item shop one last time. "Give my regards to Cacao and Chocolate!"

"That's Chocolat, my dear," Marble corrected her. "Please, promise me you'll look after yourselves."

"We will," Anna promised, and with that, the two said farewell to Marble and to Palmacosta.

"I hope Marble will be alright," said Anna, glancing back at the steadily shrinking item shop. "She was so wonderful to us."

"She should be alright," Kratos told her. "As long as the government in the city remains strong, there may not be a need to for the Desians to bring harm to this place. The Governor-General is strong and will protect them."

"I hope so," said Anna. "Maybe we can come back one day."

Kratos glanced over at her and gave her a rare smile. "Yes, perhaps one day."

The two of them reached the docks and quickly found the ship that would take them to Izoold. The captain greeted them warmly. "Ah, you must be the two that Marble sent over," he said.

"Yes," said Kratos. "I'm looking for safe passage across to Izoold for my wife and I."

It took Anna a second to realize what he'd said. She gaped at him for a moment, then smiled to herself.

**Ying-Fa: Sorry about the wait. Thank heavens it was a long weekend and I had enough time to write this. I also finished a Tales Oneshot. If you like Sheelos, then please feel free to take a look! ...and don't forget to review for this one too! ^-^**


	14. Illness

The trip to Izoold was gratefully without event. The ship sailed smoothly and there were no hardships in getting safely to the next continent. When they reached Izoold, Anna and Kratos bid farewell to the captain and set out to get settled in the small town.

Izoold, it turned out, was quiet and very rarely bothered by the Desians. While staying at an inn, Kratos and Anna heard that the latest attack had happened a few months ago and that the Desians had come from the northern bridge that connects the two continents.

"Said they were looking for some kind of escaped prisoner," said the innkeeper. "But when nobody could tell them anything, they got angry and started raiding the town. Most were able to stay hidden, some managed to run for the Ossa Trail, but lots were killed or carted off to Ranches. Thankfully, help came from Palmacosta and we've been able to start over. I'll tell you, though, if I were that escaped prisoner I'd not go anywhere near them. Nothing but misfortune can come from associating with the damned."

This conversation had made Anna's insides squirm with guilt and sorrow. When they were safely in their room and out of earshot of the innkeeper, Anna voiced her feelings to Kratos. "I can't believe it," she said. "All the suffering that went on here…those people who died…it…it was all _my_ fault."

"Anna…" said Kratos.

"How many more people have had to die or suffer or go to the Ranches because of me?" Anna said, hysterically. "This village, and who knows how many others, has faced the wrath of the Desians all because of me! How could this happen? Maybe I should never have escaped in the first…"

"Anna, you must calm down," Kratos told her firmly, reaching out and taking hold of her shoulders. "Think about what you are saying. If you had never escaped, I doubt a great many of those people would have been spared. It is the job of the Desians to wreak havoc upon the people of the declining world. As long as this world is in decline, there is nothing we can do. As for you, if you had not escaped, the plans of the Cruxis would have progressed and then people of both this world _and_ the other would be suffering."

Anna lowered her head, sadly. "I…I just…I wouldn't wish my time in the Ranch upon my worst enemy (well, _maybe_ Kvar). Now a bunch of people are suffering that very fate. It's…it's not fair."

"Sadly, we do not live in a world built on fairness," said Kratos, heavily. "These tribulations will continue until Cruxis is destroyed and the worlds are returned to normal. That's something that _you_ made me realize. So, don't blame yourself over what has transpired in this village."

Anna sniffed. "Well…what are we going to do? Do you think it's safe to stay here?"

"Most likely," said Kratos. "There is only one Ranch on this continent and it is located further north in the Iselia forest. As long as we avoid going too far north, we shouldn't have too much trouble in avoiding the Desians. But we should be prepared to leave at a moment's notice."

"Got it," said Anna. "Then, I guess we're staying in Izoold for awhile."

"Yes," said Kratos. "For the time being, we are safe here."

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

As time wore on, Anna began to build a life once more. She was able to work at a supply store near the docks to earn money. Kratos helped as well. He assisted hunting parties and offered mercenary services to anyone able to pay up. They were soon able to move out of the inn and into a small shack near the beach. It was particularly humble and not nearly as comfortable as Marble's, but they were able to pack up and leave within five minutes if Desians were to come to call.

When he was sure things were set up for Anna, Kratos began leaving early in the mornings and coming back at odd times. Sometimes he would be back in a matter of hours, but other times it would be way late into the night. Each time he returned, he came back with a tired, disappointed expression.

"So, when are you going to decide to tell me what it is you're running off to find?" Anna asked, after he returned again one evening.

"I've been searching," he said, heavily. "For a way to restore the two worlds."

Anna nearly dropped the glass she'd been drying. "Wh-what? Y-you can do that?"

"As of right now, no," Kratos replied. "I know of a way it can be done but I, personally, cannot do it. Not yet."

"What do you mean?"

"There is a sword of extraordinary power that is currently in control of the leader of Cruxis," Kratos told her. "It was given to him by Origin."

"The summon spirit?"

"Yes. He formed a pact with Origin and thus gained the power to control the world. But he used this power to split the world apart and force its current, twisted form. If I could get a hold of this sword, this power, I can use it to set the world right."

"Then why not steal it or something?"

"It's not that simple," Kratos explained. "The leader of Cruxis is a half-elf just like the Desian Grand Cardinals. Thus, that sword was made specifically for him. So only a person with the same blood as he can use Origin's power."

"So, only a half-elf can use it?" said Anna, confused. "Well, that's no good….Are you sure there's no way a normal human could use it?"

"If there is any way it would be to give myself the power of the Eternal Ring," said Kratos. "It is an artifact that could give a human great power like that of the pure blood elves. However, the materials used to make it are beyond rare and the more I search Sylvarant, the more I am convinced that they are extinct in this world."

"So, we're sunk," said Anna, bitterly.

"If I could search the world opposite this one, there might still be hope," Kratos said. "But I can't think of a way I can get there without using the help of the Cruxis and I certainly can't go back there."

"Then, what are you going to do?"

Kratos shook his head and looked down at the ground. "I…just don't know, right now."

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

After two months of living in Izoold, Anna became worried that she was becoming ill. The first sign came when she was passing a stall on her way home from work and the smell of the fish was so powerful that she was almost sick right there in the middle of town. But it wasn't just the fish; it was becoming a constant problem. She would be in the middle of something and she would become suddenly nauseous or weak. But she did her best to hide her symptoms from Kratos. He had too much on his mind at the moment to worry about her health as well. But, the symptoms wouldn't go away. Weeks went by and she was still sick. Soon, a kind woman from her work came by and gave her some strange tea. Anna doubted it would help, her stomach had been so on edge lately, but she took it politely and sipped at it. To her surprise and relief, it settled well and calmed her stomach.

"Thank you very much," said Anna, gratefully. "This is very kind of you."

"Oh, don't mention it," said the woman. "We've all been there, y'know. I swear this stuff works like a charm. Felt like it saved my life when I was pregnant with my first born."

Anna nearly choked on the tea. "Wh-what? When you…what!"

"Of course, feverfew works wonders too," the woman advised her. "Not much else that works better for morning sickness."

"What! Morning…what!" Anna spluttered. "I…that's…I…"

Suddenly, a very different kind of sickness washed over Anna as she thought over what her symptoms could mean. But…was it possible? Well, of course it was possible. She and Kratos had been…for a while…but still…

Anna thanked the woman again and closed the door. She knelt down on the ground in shock, thinking things over. How could this have never crossed her mind? Ever since she began traveling with him, why did the consequences of them being together never occur to her?

She lowered her head and felt a smile creep across her face. _Hm_, she thought to herself. _If my mother knew about this, she'd have had a stroke…_

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Anna came out of the physician's a while later and found Kratos was waiting for her. She'd waited until he'd come back for the day to tell him her suspicions. After hearing them, he suggested that Anna find out at once, and she had agreed.

"Well?" he asked when she approached him.

Anna nodded, numbly. "Yeah," she said. "Definitely pregnant."

Kratos sighed and lowered his eyes. "How could this have never occurred to us?"

"I know, I thought that too," said Anna, shrugging. "Well, it isn't something we can avoid now. The physician told me I'm going on three months now."

"Three months?" said Kratos, sounding stunned. "Already?"

"Weird, huh?" Anna said, beaming.

"This is…fearfully sudden," Kratos said, his hand up to his head as though trying to keep all the information in his mind.

"Worried?" Anna asked, timidly.

Kratos looked over at her, his eyes full of an odd fierceness that she'd only seen a few times before. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't, but I won't let that stand in our way. As this child is mine as much as yours…I'll do whatever I can to protect the both of you."

Anna smiled and blushed. She was so relieved that he was taking it like this. He was, truly, brave in all things. It struck her so powerfully as to how much she loved him that she actually started to cry…and cry.

"Anna?" said Kratos, coming over to her and putting his arms around her.

"S-sorry," she sobbed, trying to regain her composure. "It's just…a mixed feeling. I want to be just happy about it but I'm also worried and concerned. I've never been pregnant before I…I don't know how I should be…I…"

Her ranting was stopped by Kratos pulling her into a tight, yet careful, embrace. "This isn't something you'll have to do alone," he reminded her. "This…this is our child. We will work together, as we have until now. Alright?"

Anna hiccupped and nodded into his chest. "Yeah," she told him, looking up and giving him a watery smile. "Yeah!"

**Ying-fa: Sorry for the wait. I decied, from this point on, there was no need beating around the bush. The main character is on his way! Thanks very, very much to Lyte for being the only reviewer for the last chapter. Your dedication is most loved!**


	15. Cries

**Ying-fa: Hello, everybody. I FINALLY managed to upload. Thank you all so much, those who reviewed. You keep me going in a world full of darkness...and finals. Please read on.**

All of the citizens of Izoold were gathered together in the square, kept at the mercy of the many swords held by the Desians. One helmed commander stepped forward and interrogated one of the fishermen with thinning patience.

"I shall as you one more time, you wretched inferior being," he snapped. "The human girl with the Exsphere on her left hand…where is she?"

"I…I know nothing of such a woman," the man pleaded. "I swear it!"

"Then, perhaps a woman who is always wearing gloves or is always hiding her hands?" the commander asked. "Have you seen anyone like that?"

"O-only the young woman who came here a few months ago," the fisherman confessed. "She wears bandages but she says it is due to a birth defect. Her husband also said…"

"Husband?" snapped one of the Desians. "What are you talking about?"

"The-the woman I speak of is married to a soldier," the fisherman explained.

"Argh, I must be someone else," groaned the commander. "The woman we're looking for was last seen wandering around alone near Luin. She had nobody with her then and I would hope any inferior being in this forsaken world would know better than to take someone like her for a wife."

"Sir," said one of the soldiers. "What are we to tell Lord Forcystus?"

"If you want to be the one to bother him with news of a false alarm, feel free," snapped the commander. "Hmph, it looks like she didn't make it over to this continent after all."

"But the informant said…"

"The informant was one of Lord Rodyle's men," the commander reminded him. "Lord Forcystus said not to take anything _he_ says too seriously. Well, you lucky inferior beings, looks like you've won a reprieve. Fall out!"

The Desians lowered their swords, some looking quite put out, and followed their commander back out of the village while the people scattered and fled to their homes. Hidden in the shadows of the inn, Kratos watched them leaving. He stayed still as a statue until the last of their heavy, booted footsteps faded into the distance. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are they gone?" Anna asked from behind him.

"Yes," he replied. "At least they did not harm the village. Seems Forcystus is also looking for you. Word of the power of your Exsphere has reached even him."

"But if they already attacked Izoold why would they come…ow!"

"Anna!"

Anna sank to her knees and wrapped her arms carefully around her large stomach. Anna was now eight months along in her pregnancy and the child within her had been growing increasingly restless. She had had to stop working awhile ago because the baby was refusing to allow it, which turned out to be an unexpected blessing. Distancing herself from the rest of the village had meant that, when they got news that the Desians were heading their way, they were able to slip out of their home and hide without being noticed.

"It…it's okay, Kratos," Anna reassured him. "Just excessive kicking. Heh, not even born yet and this one's already a troublemaker."

"Are you sure you're going to be alright?" Kratos asked. "By the looks of things, we'll have to keep moving. We can't afford to stay in Izoold now, not when the villagers are looking for us."

"So, we're leaving again?" Anna said, her eyes growing sad. "We'll never just be able to settle anywhere, will we?"

"Probably not," Kratos admitted. "As long as the Desians think there is any chance that you and that Exsphere could be recaptured, they will keep hunting you. And the Cruxis will never stop hunting me."

Anna sighed, feeling overly depressed. "All…alright…let's get moving. I'm eight months pregnant and we have nowhere to go, but we might as well go now."

Kratos had learned by now not to say anything. Anna's mood was nothing short of precarious the further along she got in her pregnancy and Kratos wasn't about to try her patience.

Together, the two made their way safely out of Izoold and they started heading in the direction of the Ossa Trail. Kratos was sure they wouldn't meet any Desians this way. The footing in this region was poor and the Desians would rather take the walk around than deal with the treacherous paths. His only concern was taking Anna there. Carrying their child was enough of a burden for her without her making painstaking hikes through dangerous regions. But fate, it seemed, was willing to aid them once again.

As they neared the trail, Anna was once again assaulted by a rough kick from the baby, and she had to stop again. "I don't think this baby likes all this," she grimaced. "I don't know if I can keep going much longer."

"It's alright," said Kratos, calmly. "We can stop here for awhile. I'll set up camp here and…"

But Kratos's sharp hearing picked up the sounds of coming footsteps. He spun around, his hand on his sword. "What's wrong?" Anna asked, but he shook his head at her. But the newcomer was not a Desian, but a girl in her late teens.

"Oh!" the girl cried, upon seeing the two of them. "I'm sorry if I alarmed you."

Kratos relaxed and took his hand off his sword. "It's alright. We were just…"

"Ow!" Anna hissed again, clutching at her pregnancy.

"Is she alright?" the girl asked, looking concerned.

"J-just a very overactive baby," Anna said. "It-it's alright, really."

"Here," said the girl, reaching into a pack that was hanging by her waist. She pulled out some plants and hurried over to Anna. "Smell these. It might help."

Willing to try anything, Anna took the herbs into her hands and inhaled their sickly, medicine-like scent. Almost at once, her child relaxed and became calm again. Anna blinked in pleasant surprise. "Wow…th-thank you. That really helped."

The girl smiled. "My teacher and I work with pregnant animals often and so we've learned all sorts of remedies like that."

"Your teacher?" Anna asked.

"Yes," the girl replied. "He's a zoologist. His caravan is parked just a few feet from here. If you two need a place to stay, I'm sure he'd let you join us for awhile."

Kratos looked down at Anna, making it her decision. She nodded. Kratos then turned to the girl and said, "That would be greatly appreciated."

"I'm happy to help," said the girl. "My name is Sarah. Come with me and I'll introduce you to my teacher, Professor Nova."

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Nova and Sarah were just the blessings that they needed now. Upon accepting the couple warmly into his caravan, he invited them to travel with him through the Ossa Trail. Nova also said that he would be willing to allow them to stay until it was time for the baby to be born.

"Even most human doctors haven't seen as much birth as I have," Nova boasted. "I've delivered many animals…and yes, a few humans. If you and your wife would be willing, I can definitely assist."

Kratos was greatly relieved. When they left the village, he didn't know what he was going to do when it came time for Anna to deliver, but now this put his mind completely at ease. And traveling with them would be a perfect way to stay hidden from Desians. They would have a harder time trying to track them in a constantly moving caravan.

And so, Kratos and Anna continued to travel around the continent with Nova on his explorations. While the men went away, Anna and Sarah would stay behind and take care of the camp.

"How long have you been traveling with Nova?" Anna asked one day, after three weeks of traveling together.

"A couple years now," Sarah told her. "I love it here. Professor Nova is extremely kind and very intelligent. I'm proud to call myself his assistant."

"Are you planning on traveling on your own one day?" Anna asked.

Sarah lowered her eyes and blushed slightly. "Oh…well…I'm…not so sure about that. P-Professor Nova is…well, he needs all the help he can get and I…well, I…"

Anna grinned. "Do you love him?" she asked bluntly.

Sarah's blush deepened. "He-he's not really that much older than I am and…he's been such a wonderful support to me. When my parents were killed by Desians awhile back…"

"You don't have to justify it," Anna said, kindly. "I think it's great that you have someone to love."

Sarah smiled. "Thank you. That's very reassuring. I'm sure you were the same way with your husband."

Anna laughed softly. "You have no idea."

"How did he propose to you?" Sarah asked, excitedly.

Anna blinked. She suddenly remembered that they'd really skipped that part of their relationship. "Um…well…he just…asked one day, completely out of the blue. We realized how we felt and we…went along with it."

"Oh, how romantic," sighed Sarah. "Your husband is so quiet and stern, it's hard to imagine, but he does seem very kind."

"Oh, he is," said Anna, running a hand fondly over her pregnancy. "He most certainly is. I can only hope our child will be the same."

"Well, it's almost time to find out," said Sarah. "Professor Nova says that you only have about another week before it's time for your child to arrive."

Anna swallowed. Naturally, she was very nervous about giving birth to her child. She'd heard plenty of horror stories about it from the older women in Luin when she was young and her mother had told her more than enough about the "endless hours of labor" she went through while giving birth to Anna. Still, she focused her mind on the end result and thought only about what it would be like to stare into the eyes for her child for the first time.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Kratos was waiting a few feet away from the caravan. From afar, one would have thought that he was very calm and pensive and not realize that he was, in fact, a mass of nerves and concern.

A few hours earlier, Anna had gone into labor and it was finally time for the child to arrive. Throughout the time that he learned Anna was going to have his child, Kratos had tried not to focus too much on the matter and think only about keeping them both safe. But now, as he heard the echoes of Anna's shrieks of pain, he couldn't help but dwell on the matter far more than he had permitted himself to for the past nine months.

What kind of child could he have fathered? He, a human who had completed the angel transformation and had lived in an ageless state for thousands of years, was easily the first person to try to create another life. But there was also Anna. Research subjects in Human Ranches were not allowed to couple, normally, and did not even have the emotions to do it in the first place. Anna's Exsphere was still bound to her body without a Key Crest to control it, making it a dangerous environment for a fragile life trying to be born.

Anna's cries were becoming more pronounced than ever. Kratos raised his hand to his head and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to tune out the sounds of Anna's suffering. Dark thoughts and frightful possibilities kept clouding his mind and turning his insides to rot. He didn't know what he was supposed to do now. He didn't know the first thing about children and he certainly didn't know anything about being a parent. Though he still could remember what his old life as a human was like, all he remembered of his family was distance and coldness. Would he be the same to his child? What if he couldn't care for it at all? What if he took one look at it and despised it?

This dark tirade was broken by the familiar sound of paws approaching him the feeling of Noishe prodding his arm with his nose. Kratos looked over at his old friend and patted him. Noishe had not approved of Nova's great interest in him and fled every time the zoologist tried to examine him closely. But Noishe seemed to have felt Kratos's distress and came to offer him comfort.

"I have no idea what I'm doing anymore, Noishe," Kratos confessed, heavily. "This has all gone much further than I ever suspected."

Noishe whined consolingly.

"I came down here in the hopes that I would set right the wrongs I have ignored for so long," Kratos said. "But I almost can't help what has been progressing between Anna and I. Now…now, I will have a child very soon. How could I have brought another life into this conflict?"

Noishe whined again.

"You're saying I have nothing to be ashamed of?" Kratos said, reading the creature's expressions as he normally did. "Hmph. I hope you're right. If anything were to happen…

But Kratos's dark musings were disrupted at last when a new sound, a very different kind of cry, reached his ears from Nova's caravan.


	16. Son

**Ying-fa: Thank you so very very much to everybody who reviewed last time. I'm so happy. And now, the moment you've all been waiting for...!**

"It's been over a year, my lord, and still we have found no trace of him."

Yggdrasill sat in his throne, covering most of his face with his hand. Something was burning inside him, an anger that was slowly eating away at him. Over a year, and still Kratos had not revealed himself. Over a year and the man who had once been his most trusted, his most loyal companion had not returned. He was past forgiveness now. He could not tolerate this behavior.

"Very well," he told his subordinate. "Inform Yuan that the order has changed. If he is found, there will be no reasoning. The only thing that will remain the same is that all units are to aim to stun. The day he dies, the person responsible for his death will face my wrath."

"Understood."

The angel departed, leaving Yggdrasill alone. He stood from his throne and glanced upward at the Great Seed…where _she_ was being kept, waiting.

"If only you were here," he said, quietly. "You would know what to do. You would know how to deal with this…this betrayal. How could he, sister? How could Kratos, our oldest friend, betray us like this? Betray you? Betray me?"

Yggdrasill lowered his gaze to the ground and his hands curled into fists. "The Kratos Aurion that I once knew is either gone or buried. Fine then…on his own head be it."

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Kratos got to his feet as he saw Nova exiting the caravan. Noishe yelped at the sight of Nova and hurried off back into the darkness of the woods. The kind zoologist came over to him and gave him a wide smile. "What happened?" Kratos asked as he approached. "Is Anna…? Is everything alright?"

"Most alright," said Nova, kindly. "My congratulations to you, sir. A completely successful birth. Both mother and child are fine."

"The child…?"

"A boy," Nova said, jovially. "A remarkable, healthy baby boy. You can go and see them now, if you wish. They are both ready for you."

Kratos swallowed heavily. He supposed he should be glad that both Anna and the child (…his child…his _son_) were alright, but it seemed that Nova's news only made him feel even more nervous. Nevertheless, he gripped Nova's shoulder to wordlessly express his gratitude and made for the caravan. He passed Sarah as he went inside and she beamed at him to express her happiness for him. He wished he was able to smile back, but didn't seem able to, not at the moment anyway. He stepped into the caravan and soon found Anna.

She was lying on a cot with many cushions behind her so that she was in a half-sitting up position. Her short brown hair was damp and sticking to her face from sweat and she looked completely exhausted. Just from looking at her, he could tell how much she had just suffered through. He felt a pang of guilt when he remembered that he had been a part of that suffering.

Through her exhaustion, Anna heard him come in and turned to face him. Her tired face then split into a wide, watery smile. Kratos felt another pang in his heart and immediately went over to her side and planted a kiss in her hair. Anna leaned in and embraced him as best she could in the awkward position she was in.

"You…you did well," Kratos said, quietly.

"I know," Anna replied, her voice rather hoarse.

"You've grown so strong," he told her.

Anna let out a slight laugh. "Thanks to you."

Kratos broke away and smiled down at her. He glanced down her body and was slightly stunned to see her pregnancy gone after seeing it for so many months. He then looked over near the foot of the cot and saw a wicker cradle resting there. Kratos felt his breath catch in his throat. Anna saw where he was looking and patted him encouragingly. He understood and then proceeded over to the cradle and laid eyes upon his son for the first time.

He was very small, as any newborn would be. He was wrapped up completely in thick, soft blankets so that only his face could be seen. His skin was very red and Kratos could see just a slight wisp of brown hair on the top of his head. His eyes were shut tight and his lips sealed in sleepy grimace. Kratos could hardly believe that this tiny little creature was his child; it was such a strange feeling. He reached out and very gently touched the child's face. His skin was warm. With all the care he could manage, he took the child into his arms and lifted him from the cradle. It shocked Kratos at how light he was.

As he stood there, holding the little boy in his arms Kratos was struck violently with the knowledge of just what he was carrying. He had seen the lives of men come and go; he'd seen the entire lifetimes of people pass him by in the blink of an eye. But _this_ life was different. Of all the lives that passed him by, _this_ was the one life that meant more to him than any other. This tiny child was the only life within four thousand years of lifetimes that could not have existed without him. This life wouldn't be here, now, if not for him. He, Kratos, had created a life, a whole human being, just by loving Anna. This boy was born because of the choices that he'd made within the past year. This boy would not be here if not for him.

The feeling was almost overwhelming. He knew, now, that he would do anything possible to take care of this little life. He would protect it, care for it, for as long as he possibly could. This child was special to him in a way that no other life was special. It was a life that he had made. This child was his. This was his son.

"I haven't even gotten to hold him yet," Anna said, longingly. "I want to see him."

Kratos glanced over at Anna and felt himself smiling again. She had just as much right to see their child as he did. He walked back over to her side and, very carefully, handed the newborn boy into her arms. Anna looked down into the face of her baby and felt tears well up in her eyes. How long had she waited for this moment? She had so wanted to become a mother, and now she finally was. It would have been worth being married to someone like Hector just to know the feeling that she had now. Only this was a thousand times better. This was her child with Kratos, the man she loved. Her baby was born out of pure love, not obligation or circumstance. It was the child she had always dreamed of having, and here he was. He was finally with her.

Anna sniffed as tears of pure happiness fell down her face. Kratos reached over and touched her shoulder, comfortingly. Anna tore her eyes away from her son's face and beamed at Kratos. "I-I almost can't believe it," she admitted. "I can't believe…he's finally here. My-my baby is here."

Kratos smiled kindly at her. "Yes," he said. "Our son is here. You did well."

"We did," Anna corrected him. She looked down at her baby again and then glanced back at Kratos slyly. "We still have to name him."

Kratos could see her intent in her eyes and he quickly shook his head. "Do not give him my name," he said, firmly.

Anna frowned. "Why not? I like your name. I bet he'd be proud to have the same name as his father."

"I don't want him to have my name because he is not me," Kratos explained. "This child…our son…he is his own person. He may be part of you and a part of me, but he is neither you nor me. I…I want him to be himself. I want him to be his own person so, therefore, he should have his own name."

Anna blinked. "Wow, I…I never thought of it that way," she admitted. "Well, alright then. We'll just have to think of another name. Hm…what would be good?" Anna searched her mind and thought of all the names she'd even known and wondered which name would be the best for her son. Suddenly her parents' faces popped into her mind. Her mother's name had been Lana…and her father's name was Boyd…

The thought clicked in Anna's head that instant. "How about Lloyd?"

"Lloyd?"

"Yeah," Anna glanced down at her son again and felt excitement course through her. "Yeah! I think it suits him. It's a nice, strong name, don't you think?"

Kratos looked over at the little boy and thought about it. "Hm. Lloyd…it does sound nice, doesn't it?"

"Alright," said Anna, happily. "Lloyd it is!"

"Yes," Kratos agreed. "It is a good name. I believe that he will wear it well."

"I hope so," said Anna, but then she frowned. "Kratos…what will happen to him…if the Desians figure out he's ours?"

Kratos looked at Anna and saw fear in her eyes. "The…the Cruxis are still looking for you, right? What will they do if they find him? And I remember…I remember at the Ranch that Kvar said that I had "good DNA". Does that mean Lloyd does too? What will they do to him if they find him?"

Kratos lowered his gaze. He hadn't thought about any of that. He knew he probably should have, but it was too late now. His son was already born and the Cruxis and Desians were still out searching for him. But, as of now, both the Cruxis and the Desians had no idea that the child, that Lloyd, exists. Perhaps, perhaps if they managed to stay out of sight and stay away from the grasp of their enemies, no harm need come to the boy.

"I can't say for sure what his fate will be if the Cruxis find him," Kratos admitted, slowly. "But the fact is that they do _not_ know he exists. They know nothing about him or what else I have done since I abandoned them."

"But if they do find him…"

"Then I swear I will strike down anyone that tries to hurt him," said Kratos firmly. "I vow, now, as the one who helped to bring this boy into the world…that I will protect him from the Cruxis. They will not find him…they will not hurt him. Nor will I allow them to harm you, either. I shall protect you both to whatever end." He leaned in and wrapped his arms around the both of them, carefully.

"I will protect you…my most precious ones."

Anna's eyes welled up with tears again and she caught Kratos's lips in a deep, soul-bearing kiss.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Later that evening, as Anna was catching up on some well-deserved rest, Kratos was sitting in the corner of the caravan, holding his son. Lloyd was moving a little now, his tiny limbs squirming within his blankets. Opened his mouth in a surprisingly wide yawn and, for the first time since Kratos had come in to see him, he opened his eyes. Kratos could see that they were brown, like his mother's.

Lloyd looked up at Kratos through his sleepy eyelids. Kratos smiled at him gently, wondering if Lloyd had any idea who he even was. Somehow he got the impression that he _did_ know. Lloyd snuggled closer to Kratos's chest and his eyes slipped closed again. Within moments, he was breathing softly and evenly again, safe within his father's arms. Kratos couldn't help the thoughts and emotions running through him he watched his child sleeping peacefully in his embrace.

_I wonder what kind of man you will grow up to be…. Lloyd…. My son…_


	17. Triet

As soon as Anna and Lloyd were well enough to travel, Kratos decided that it was time to say goodbye to the kind zoologist. Nova's caravan had seen them safely out of the Ossa Trail and into the vast Triet Desert. Traveling with Nova and Sarah had been a remarkable blessing, but Kratos had known they couldn't stay with them forever. He had seen the Desians and the Cruxis destroy entire cities over less things and he couldn't bring that kind of trouble upon the two of them.

"We'll see you safely to the oasis," said Nova when Kratos announced that it was nearly time for his family to leave. "The desert people are most welcoming and the town does not get much attention from the Desians. You and your family should be safe there."

"I cannot begin to thank you for all that you have done for us," said Kratos, sincerely.

"Think nothing of it," said Nova, kindly. "Sarah and I were more than happy to have you. Just take extra good care of your wife and your new son. We will be in the desert for some time, there are a few new species of Vipers I am most keen to examine, so if there is anything else you could possibly need, do not hesitate in the slightest to call."

"I will do that," said Kratos, gratefully.

In no time at all, they reached Triet. The endless sea of sweeping sands spread out in steep, hill-like dunes in all directions. The sun was especially bright here, making the air thick and spicy. Each breath seemed to seep out all the water in your mouth making it scratchy and making for a deep need for water. The town of Triet was a few, unstable stone buildings centered around a large, glassy lake with sparkling waters that the people used with great care. Kratos and Anna found a house near the gates of the city and, when they were settled, bid Nova and Sarah farewell.

"They'll be alright," said Anna, watching them go and cradling a sleeping Lloyd in her arms. "I wish we could have stayed with them."

"It's not worth the risk," said Kratos. "We must not forget that we are still being pursued by our enemies. We don't want them carted off to Ranches, do we?"

Anna shook her head. "Oh, don't even say that," she said. "Do you think we will be alright here in the desert?"

"We should," said Kratos. "This is the most inconvenient place in the entire continent for the Desians to come looking for prisoners. Also, I'm sure they've already searched this desert many times and will have given up on it by now. There's only so long you can stay out in the deep deserts and survive unless you're properly prepared. And preparations for desert travel are not something that the Desians will want to go through over and over. They'll look for as long as they must, then move on."

"It does seem like they haven't had any disturbances here for awhile," said Anna, looking around. "This should be well enough place to live."

"Yes," Kratos agreed. "As long as we don't travel too close to Iselia, we shouldn't find much trouble from the Ranch in the north."

"Good," said Anna, gazing down at the baby in her arms. "I think Lloyd will like living in the desert. As long as he grows up as far as possible from the Desians, I don't really mind where we live."

"I hope so," said Kratos. "For now, we are safe."

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Kratos continued to travel around the continent, staying hidden and earning money, leaving Anna and Lloyd back in their new home in Triet. Anna did the most she could to make their new home comfortable and livable for them and spent most of her days taking care of Lloyd. Kratos was in charge of taking care of Lloyd in the evenings, so that Anna could get some rest and, as Kratos didn't sleep very much anyway, it wasn't much of a sacrifice.

During his exertions, Kratos kept an eye on the movements of the Desians, making sure they did not go too near Triet. But his suspicions seemed to have been correct. The Desians movements were becoming fewer and fewer and it seemed, now, that they had given up on ever finding Anna or her special Exsphere. He grew more confident that she was safe now. They were still looking for a lone woman wandering alone somewhere in the world, not for a woman with a husband and child and living a comfortable life. They would have thought such things to be beneath her. For now, it was safe to assume that the Desians would not be coming for Anna anymore. The same could not be said for Kratos. Yggdrasill would never allow him to disappear for very long. As long as he stayed invisible, the Cruxis would continue to overlook them.

Days in the Triet Desert soon turned to months, and months to a year and the small family had established a life, free from the woes and hardships brought on by their enemies. Kratos and Anna were now able to enjoy something like normality, separate from the other people of the village, but peaceful in their privacy and able to watch their son continue to grow.

Lloyd was developing very quickly, learning how to roll over onto his back, then to get up on this little hands and knees, and then to crawl. He was also developing in personality as well. Lloyd was an extremely curious and adventurous child. By the time he was a year old, his parents had had to rescue him from harming himself. He once crawled up the stairs and, at the top, didn't know how to get back down and had sat there and cried until his mother came to save him. He liked going down by the desert lake and splashing playfully in the shallows and examining the sparse plants that grew within the town. Many of the people in the town, especially women, adored Lloyd and would send him toys and blankets.

Noishe was also a very big help. It turned out that Kratos' oldest and most faithful companion was actually quite the babysitter. If Anna was very tired and Kratos was away, Noishe would step in and take care of Lloyd. He wasn't too bad at it. He would gently take hold of the back of Lloyd's shirt and pull him away from anything too dangerous and would shove toys and snacks in front of him with his nose. Lloyd absolutely loved Noishe in return and would hug him and pat him and, occasionally, snuggle up to him and sleep by his side, burying his little hands and face into Noishe's fur.

Anna, most of all, loved her life in Triet. It had taken awhile to get used to the constant heat, but once she'd developed a system, it was wonderful. She especially loved seeing Kratos with Lloyd. When Anna remembered how Kratos had been when they'd first met, so expressionless and aloof, it was almost shocking to see how he had changed. He smiled more easily now and spoke more freely and play with their son. When she saw Lloyd smile up and his father and throw his arms around his neck in as big a hug as he could manage, it made her almost want to cry with happiness. After all the terrible things that had happened, she still managed to a life. It was a most wonderful life with a family of her own.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

One day, when Lloyd was about eighteen months old, shocking news came to the attention of the family. Kratos had been home that day and the entire family was outside in the first light of morning when they heard the sounds of celebration in the town. Soon, their neighbor came by, singing at the top of his voice and beaming around at everyone.

"What's all the commotion about?" Anna asked, as he approached.

"Ah! Have you not heard, good neighbors?" he cried, clearly on one Potion bottle too many. "Rejoice in the news, my friends. _Hic!_ Pardon…The Goddess Martel smiles on us once again. Late last night, north of here in the village of Iselia…_hic_…a new Chosen One was born! Hopefully this one _hic_ will actually manage to complete the journey of World Regeneration! _Hic._ That'd be something, wouldn't it!"

The neighbor waddled off towards his house, slamming into the door before remembering that he needed to open it. Anna went back to Kratos and told him what she had just heard. His eyes darkened.

"I see," he said. "So the Cruxis have not stopped manipulating the bloodlines here in Sylvarant in all this time. It seems that this next Chosen One will, indeed, be the one to regenerate this land."

"You think so?" Anna asked, curiously. "You think this Chosen will really save this world?"

"Sylvarant has been in decline for a very long time," said Kratos. He turned his head and watched Lloyd cupping sand into his little fists and watching it slid out between his fingers. "This world cannot be allowed to be destroyed. It must be time. I remember Yggdrasill wanted to put as much attention into the Mana Lineage of Sylvarant as he could afford to. He thinks he may be able to find someone who can become a proper body for Martel to inhabit."

"And you think this next Chosen One is it?" Anna asked.

"I think that Yggdrasill thinks so," said Kratos. "Six Chosen have come and gone in this world and the mana is growing frighteningly sparse. Whether this next Chosen will be the one to resurrect Martel, I don't know. All I know is that, when the time comes and this next Chosen receives the oracle, the declining nature of this world will most likely come to an end."

"And the second world will go into decline instead," Anna said. "Kratos, do you think you'll be able to reunite the worlds before then?"

Kratos lowered his gaze. "I don't know. If a human was to attempt that, it would take a special ring forged with secret arts. Unfortunately, to do anything like that, I would have to go into the prospering world, where the materials I need are most likely to be found. There's nothing I can do in a world as weak as this one."

"You can't go to the other world?" Anna asked.

"Not without the help of the Cruxis," said Kratos, heavily. "And as I am a traitor of the Cruxis, it's not like I can go back and go asking for favors."

"So," Anna said slowly. "This Chosen one that was just born…will be used as a vessel…and die?"

Kratos lowered his gaze. "Most likely."

Anna looked over at where her son was playing. Anna remembered when he was just born and remembered Nova and Sarah were uncurling his hands to see if he had been born with a fabled Cruxis Crystal. They told her that everyone in Sylvarant who knew about delivering children were taught to do that in case the child turned out to be a Chosen. She remembered what Kratos had told her about the fate of Chosen Ones and how relieved she felt when she discovered her son was not one of them. Now, somewhere in Iselia, some other woman was going to have to sacrifice her baby. Not far from here, another mother had given birth to a child that was likely doomed.

The thoughts were bringing tears to Anna's eyes. She couldn't control herself and was soon crying uncontrollably over the dark thoughts and the feelings that came pouring into her.

"Anna," said Kratos, gently.

"Mama?" said Lloyd, looking away from his playing to glance at his mother with concern.

"It…it's alright," said Anna, drying her eyes. "I…It's just not fair. So many people are suffering…but to ask someone to give up their child…"

"Anna," Kratos said again, moving over to put an arm around her shoulders.

Anna looked up at him, her eyes still filled with tears and gave him a determined look. "Don't let it happen," she said, sternly. "You mustn't let it happen! You're the only one who can save the world now. Don't let anymore people be sacrificed. It's not fair…it's too sad…you can't let it happen! Restore the two worlds, I know you can. Find a way for us to travel to the next world and we'll stop all of this from happening! We have to!"

Kratos looked down into Anna's streaming brown eyes, then over at Lloyd who was watching his parents curiously. Then he looked back at Anna and nodded to her.

"I will."

**Ying-Fa: Hello again, everyone! Big, shout-out thank you's to everyone who reviewed! This is where things go downhill. I'm actually kinda looking forward to writing it (does that make me sadistic?) I hope to see you all there when the fan hits the ceiling! (wait?...)**


	18. Fear

"Daddy! DADDY!"

Kratos had barely entered his home when Lloyd came up to him, beaming and raising his short arms up to his father for a hug. Kratos beamed at the little boy and knelt down to scoop him up into his arms. "It's good to see you too, Lloyd," he said warmly. "I trust you've been good for your mother."

"For the most part, yes," said Anna, coming into the room. "He somehow found a way to crawl onto the upstairs window and he's managed to climb out of bed when I'm not looking."

"So, his usual antics," said Kratos, giving Lloyd a fake stern look. "Imagine what trouble he'll cause when he turns three."

"That's only in a few days," said Anna, happily. "I can't believe he's gotten so big."

Kratos could hardly believe it either. He and his family had been able to successfully hide in Triet for the past few years and with almost no trouble from the Cruxis or the Desians. Kratos wondered if maybe their hands were full in watching the growth and development of the new Chosen One and had since dismissed Anna and her Exsphere as a lost cause. It was beginning to look like Lloyd would be able to live in a world that was no longer declining and, if Kratos' plans progressed as he hoped, they would all be able to see the worlds reunited as they once were.

"Nosh! Nosh!" Lloyd cried, pointing down at the ground. Noishe had come into the room to welcome Kratos as well, whining happily.

"Yes, that is Noishe," said Anna, taking Lloyd from Kratos and placing him on Noishe's back. "He's learning so many new words, it's incredible. He'll start using actual sentences soon."

"Nosh go!" said Lloyd, his small hands gripping Noishe's fur. Noishe whined in understanding and began trotting slowly around the room with Lloyd riding him like a horse.

"And how are you doing?" Kratos asked, turning to Anna.

"Fine so long as I can keep up with Lloyd," said Anna.

"You're sure? You're not getting anymore of those headaches, are you?"

"Nope, not today," said Anna. "Don't worry, I'm sure they're nothing. Just stress from trying to keep up with a toddler, that's all."

"If you're sure…"

"I am sure."

Kratos sighed. "Very well."

Anna smiled at him, reassuringly but then let out a small gasp. "Oh! I just remembered! I was in the middle of cooking dinner. Just hold on, it should be done it a minute."

Anna turned around and ran into the kitchen. Kratos watched her go, smiling. He was glad at how she was settling into her life here. He had been worried in the beginning, but now he felt that the time for fear had passed. All uncertainties about living comfortably with his family had since diminished. Yggdrasill would not find them here, as long as they stayed in the quiet. They were finally safe.

Kratos felt a tug at his side and looked down. Lloyd had escaped Noishe's back and had waddled over to him silently. He had his little hands around the sheathed sword hanging from Kratos' belt and was tugging on it as though he wanted it to come free and to play with it. Kratos let out an amused breath and picked up his son.

"Not quite yet, Lloyd," he said. "I very much doubt your mother would want you running around with swords just yet."

"Shord!" cried Lloyd, insistently. "Want Daddy shord."

"When you are older, maybe," Kratos promised him. "I'll show you how to use a sword then, but not right now."

Lloyd folded his arms and pouted as he usually did when he didn't get what he wanted. Kratos patted Lloyd's hair comfortingly. Just then, Kratos heard something heavy falling in the kitchen. He jumped at the sound and set Lloyd on the ground.

"Anna? Anna, are you alright?"

Anna didn't answer. Kratos stood up at once and hurried over to the kitchen and looked inside. Anna was on the floor, her face contorted with pain.

"Anna!" Kratos yelled, kneeling down and lifting her up. "Anna, what's wrong?"

Anna opened her eyes and looked up at him. "M-my…" she stammered as though speaking was suddenly very difficult to do. "My…hand…"

Kratos looked down at Anna's left hand, where her Exsphere was still attatched underneath the bandages she usually kept around it. Kratos hurriedly took hold of her hand and tore off the bandages. The Exsphere was glowing with a strange light.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"The Exsphere as been attatched to you, lacking a Key Crest, for a long time now," Kratos said. "I had thought it was fully mature before, but it seems to be self-sustaining now and in its final stages of completion. The Exsphere is now completely ready to be removed from you."

"Then…can't we just take it off?" Anna groaned. "I've wanted to get rid of it…this whole time."

Anna was lying on a couch in the main room of the house. Seeing her in pain had upset Lloyd, so Kratos had Noishe take him to his room and play with him to keep him happy and preoccupied until Kratos got the situation under control.

"I told you before," said Kratos. "We _can't _remove that Exsphere, not like it is now. Only a dwarf could be able to remove it with risking damage to your mana structure. Otherwise…"

"It…could be bad," said Anna, with a grimace of a smile. "We've…been over that. But where…are we going to find a dwarf? They…live underground…in secrecy, don't they?"

"Yes, they do," said Kratos, dispiritedly. "In this world, there's only one I know of that lives on the surface and offers his skills to humans."

"Then…we'll go see him," Anna said, beginning to sit up like she was ready to go right that moment. Kratos, however, put a hand on her shoulder and made her lay back down.

"The only problem is," Kratos said, pointedly. "He lives in the Iselia forest…not too far from the Human Ranch in that region. And as the newest Chosen one lives in Iselia, I'm willing to bet that all of Cruxis will be keeping an eye on that place."

What little color was left in Anna's face drained. "Then…then…I guess I'll just have to endure it a little while longer," she said, as though her pain suddenly turned into nothing. "It's fine as long as I don't touch it, right? Well then…"

"That would be unwise as well," said Kratos. "That Exsphere is already having terrible effects on your body as it is. If we leave it…your heart and memories might be suppressed again as they were in the Ranch."

Anna blinked in fear. "Then…then…what do we do?"

Kratos looked at Anna's pained expression and listened to the sounds of Lloyd playing in the next room. He was strangely aware of everything in the room. All that he had built…and all that he was in danger of losing.

"We will have to try Iselia," he said, heavily. "It…is our only option. The sooner we leave Triet, the better."

Anna saw the resignation in Kratos' expression, and nodded her agreement.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

The small family left their home in the early hours of the next day. Lloyd rode on Noishe's back for most of the journey and some of it on his father's shoulders. He, at least, seemed very excited about the trip and was happy to see more of the world than just the little village of Triet. After a few hours, however, his mood changed and he soon became tired and bored.

Anna put on a brave performance through the journey north. Kratos could tell that she was still uncomfortable and suffering, but she managed to hide it all under a brave façade for Lloyd's sake. Kratos estimated that it would take them about two days to reach the Iselia forest and, halfway there, they were blessed to find a House of Salvation ready to accept them for the night.

Kratos set up a small bed for Lloyd down in the prayer room and stationed Noishe to stay with him that night to make sure Lloyd didn't cause any trouble. Then he and Anna went up to the sleeping quarters upstairs. The priest who ran the House and the attendants had left for the night, leaving the family alone.

Anna was already in bed when Kratos arrived up there. He went over to her and placed his hand on her forehead, soothingly. "It won't be much longer," he promised her. "We will reach the forest by midday tomorrow. I will have to sneak into the village to ask about the dwarf's exact whereabouts, but that shouldn't take too long."

"Alright," said Anna, smiling up at him. "We'll wait here in the House until you get back and we'll go together."

Kratos nodded in agreement and turn away from her. As he did, Anna suddenly cried, "I'm sorry!"

Kratos turned to face her again. Tears were falling down Anna's eyes and she was trying in vain to hide them with her hand. "I…I hate how useless I am to you," she sobbed. "I'm nothing but trouble. We kept having to move around because of me and now…now that we had a home set up for us, we had to leave again. It's all my fault…if this stupid gem…if I wasn't…"

Anna's cries were silenced by Kratos covering her mouth with his own. Anna blinked then returned his kiss eagerly. Kratos wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him as he deepened the kiss. Anna let out a sigh of contentment. It had been awhile since they had kissed like this and it was so nice to have his attentions once again.

Kratos rolled onto the bed and embraced her close to him. He broke away from the kiss just slightly so he could speak. "I promised that I would protect you," he murmured. "You and Lloyd are my life now, Anna. I would sacrifice anything to take care of both of you. I will not forsake you, nor will I allow you to be yet another victim of the Exsphere."

Anna blinked her tears away and kissed him again and again. Kratos brought her body close to his, embracing her with all the love in his heart. They forgot their troubles and emptied their minds of thought as passion took them over once again.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Kratos woke first, that morning, as the sun rose. He turned his head and gazed at Anna's sleeping form beside him. Something felt strange as he watched over her. There was a deep unease within him, a fear that he couldn't understand. He felt unsettled and slightly miserable.

The feeling of something precious about to come to an end.

He pushed the feeling out of his heart as he rose from bed and got dressed. He was just about to leave when he went back and covered Anna more securely with the blankets and planted a kiss on the base of her neck. She sighed and turned over, still asleep. Kratos stood and, almost reluctantly, left the room.

As he descended the stairs, he glanced over to where Lloyd was sleeping. His little son had forsaken the small bed that had been made for him and had chosen, instead, to sleep sitting up against Noishe's side, the left half of his face nuzzled in Noishe's fur. Kratos walked over to him, as quietly as he could and knelt beside him. Again he was filled with a sad dread that he could not explain. He leaned down and very gently kissed Lloyd's forehead. Like his mother, he let out a sleepy moan and snuggled closer to Noishe.

"Sleep well…my son," Kratos said in a whisper.

Feeling that he had better get moving, Kratos stood and left the House of Salvation. He looked upward to see that gray clouds were obscuring most of the sky. It would rain today. Kratos moved along the path leading towards Iselia, determined to be done with this errand and return to his family again.

**Ying-Fa: Hope the foreshadowing wasn't to heavy for you. But, sadly, we know what must come next...unless you haven't played the game... and if you haven't played the game...WHAT ARE YOU DOING READING THIS! SPOILERS ABOUND, PEOPLE! Please leave a review.**


	19. Monster

**Ying-Fa: And here we have it. Please tell me what you think, I beseech you.**

Anna woke shortly after Kratos left, not surprised to see him gone. He often left early and, after almost four years, she was used to it. She dressed and went down to the main hall to check on Lloyd. He was barely awake and had sat up by himself and was rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"Mommy," he said, sleepily.

Anna smiled and went to pick up her son, but as she lifted him she felt a nasty pang in her hand. The Exsphere was acting up again and the reaction was almost strong enough to make her drop Lloyd, but she held on firmly.

"Ow! Oh…oh, Mommy's sorry, baby," said Anna, comfortingly to Lloyd. "We just have to wait until Daddy gets back and then we're going to the forest. Okay?"

"Daddy," said Lloyd, looking around to see if Kratos was somehow miraculously back that very second.

"No, not yet," she said. "Let's eat something and then we can play outside, okay?"

"Outside!" Lloyd cried, bouncing in his mother's arms in his eagerness to get down.

Noishe nudged Anna's side gently, wise enough to know that she still wasn't feeling well. Anna smiled down at the creature and patted his nose comfortingly. "It's alright. It'll all be over in a couple of hours."

Anna cut up some fruit that she had packed for their trip and gave some of the pieces to Lloyd, Noishe, and herself. When Lloyd was dressed, Anna took him outside to play in front of the House like she had promised. She watched her son run around with Noishe while she watched on the deck, looking up at the sky. It was thick with gray clouds and there was a deep chill in the air. It wasn't going to stay dry for too long. She wished Kratos would hurry back from the village.

"Nosh! Go!" Lloyd cried, running after Noishe and trying to catch his tail which the creature was whisking playfully across Lloyd's face. "Nosh, go! Go! Go!"

Noishe whined and kept running around in circles, keeping an eye on Lloyd. The little boy laughed happily at the game but a sudden, chilly gust of wind rushed by him. The scarf that Anna had tied around Lloyd's neck came loose and blew away with the wind.

"Carf!" Lloyd called after it. "Carf! No!" He fell to his knees and began to cry. "Mommy! Carf gone!"

"Oh no," Anna said, standing up and hurrying to her son's side. "Come on, Lloyd, let's go get it."

"Carf…" said Lloyd, sadly.

"We'll get it," said Anna, reassuringly. She took Lloyd's hand and the two of them hurried after the scarf, Noishe trotting behind them. They went out to the field and soon found the scarf again. Anna picked it up and tied it securely around Lloyd's neck. "Make sure not to lose it again," she told him. "It took me a month to knit this thing and it would be a waste…"

"Hey! You there! Woman!"

Anna stood very still, petrified by the voice that called out to her. She spun around. Five men were hurrying over to them, helmeted and bearing swords and whips.

Desians.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"The dwarf in the forest, you say? Ah, you must be referring to Dirk Irving. Aye, I've seen him a few times. Comes into the village for supplies. Let's see, just follow the path along the woods, do NOT turn left at the crossing, cross the river and keep going straight. You'll see his cottage plainly once you get there. But beware, turning left leads you to the Desian Human Ranch. If you get stuck, you ought to tell them you're a citizen of Iselia and they'll most likely leave you be. Since the Chosen was born, the Mayor created a treaty with them. Keeps us safe, might save your life."

"I humbly thank you."

"Don't mention it. Hope you've got a fat wallet, though. The dwarf's prices are steep."

Kratos nodded his thanks to the civilian and turned to leave. Of all the villages he'd been to since descending to this world, Iselia was clearly the calmest and most peaceful feeling. This was most likely due to the birth of the Chosen and this supposed treaty with the Desians. Although it was good of them to try and keep peace with the Desians, Kratos thought it a bit spineless to deal with the enemy while so many others were dying in the ranches.

He turned and made his way back out of the village. As he passed the village, he heard someone cry out, "There she is! The Chosen One!"

Kratos turned and looked, unable to resist. A blond-haired man was walking down the street, looking a little sheepish at all the attention from the others. Holding onto the man's hand and stomping awkwardly beside him was a little girl, with bright blue eyes and shiny blonde hair, staring around at the onlookers with a politely puzzled expression. It suddenly struck Kratos that this girl was only a little bit younger than his Lloyd. He sighed heavily, wondering if this poor girl already knew that she was doomed.

Shaking his head sorrowfully, Kratos turned to leave the village when a sound suddenly reached his ears. A familiar howling, coming from far away. It was Noishe's howl. Kratos felt his heart freeze over in fear.

"Anna," he murmured. "Lloyd!"

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Here! Over here! Go on, make way!"

Anna struggled against the three Desians that were holding on to her tightly, leading her deep into the Iselia forest. She was already sickly and weak, but she lashed and kicked as hard as she could in a bid for freedom. Behind her two more Desians were following them, one dragging a howling Noishe and one carrying a screaming Lloyd.

The Desians pulled Anna up to the top of a cliff, where a kind of camp of some thirty seemed to be set up. The Desians forced Anna to her knees and held her in place. One of them called out, "Call Lord Kvar! Let him know we've caught a woman with an Exsphere."

Anna let out a gasp of fear. Kvar? Kvar was here!

There were suddenly footsteps behind her and soon a pair of booted feet appeared in front of her. A gloved hand took hold of her chin and forced her to look up into the thin face that haunted her most terrible nightmares.

"Well, well, well," said Kvar, in that darkly clever voice that she never wanted to hear again. "It's been quite a long time, hasn't it, A012?"

Anna gulped, too afraid to speak.

"You look different," Kvar said, turning her head side to side observantly. "I suppose it has been, what, four years now? You've done a surprisingly successful job in staying away from me, haven't you dear?"

Anna wrenched her face away from his grip, determined not to go down without a fight. Kvar snickered menacingly.

"I had a feeling you would try to seek out the dwarf that supposedly lives in these woods," said Kvar, triumphantly. "Only they can successfully remove untamed Exspheres without causing harm to those who wear them. I've had this camp set up for months now. All I had to do was work quietly enough so that that dratted Forcystus didn't beat me to my own prize."

"I'm nobody's prize!" Anna shrieked.

"Oh, we shall certainly see about that," said Kvar. He turned his eyes away from Anna and looked up. "And…just _what_ is _that?_"

Anna gasped as she realized that he was pointing to Lloyd, who was still writhing and screaming in the clutches of another Desian.

"We found it with her, sir," said the Desian, struggling to keep a hold on the child.

"Mommy!" Lloyd shrieked between frightened sobs. "Mommy!"

"Really?" said Kvar, his upper lip curling in disgust. "My goodness, just _what_ have you been up to these past few years, Anna?"

Anna summoned her rage and twisted her face into a threatening expression. "Don't even think about hurting my child. If you _dare_ hurt my son…"

"You'll do…what?" Kvar asked mockingly. "There's almost nothing you can do to threaten me, Anna. Hm, your child, eh? I wonder if he has the same magnificent DNA you do. Maybe he'll be able to produce an even better Exsphere than you. Maybe…"

"Let her go, Kvar."

A new voice broke the air and all the Desians spun around to see the newcomer. Anna twisted around at the sound of the voice and she beamed in relief. Kratos had arrived! They were saved!

"L-L-Lord Kratos!" Kvar shrieked. "Wh-what the devil are you doing here!"

Kratos glared dangerously. "I fail to see how that is any concern of yours, Kvar," he said. "What are _you_ doing _here_? Why aren't you at your Ranch in Asgard?"

"I…I was…" Kvar began, but his face fell and he glanced suspiciously at Kratos. "What do you mean "let her go"? This woman is the result of my Angelus Project! The Exsphere in her hand is the completed work that Lord Yggdrasill has been seeking. You should know better than anyone that I can't allow this woman to walk away. Come to think of it," Kvar's sneer returned. "Where have you been? Lord Yggdrasill's been looking for you for years now! Why have you not returned to the Cruxis?"

Kratos unsheathed his sword and pointed it threateningly at Kvar. "I have no need to explain myself to the likes of you," he snarled. "Your superior has given you an order, Kvar. Will you heed me or do you dare defy one of the Four Seraphim?"

Kvar looked from the sword to Kratos' face, clearly torn. "Where have you been?" he said again. "You've been gone for four years…" He blinked and his gaze dropped to the ground. "Four…years…"

"Daddy!" Lloyd cried, making everybody jump and reaching his little arms towards Kratos. "Daddy! Daddy!"

Kratos' expression softened as he looked at Lloyd, but it hardened again quickly when he knew Kvar was watching. Kvar's thin, beady eyes were now traveling from Kratos, to Lloyd, and then to Anna. His face suddenly twisted in disgust.

"Gone four years…that brat…" he hissed, now staring at Kratos with a look of utter revulsion. "Oh, you can't be serious…. Kratos…did you _breed_ with this inferior being!" he jabbed his finger accusingly at Anna.

Kratos swung his sword violently, sending a shockwave that killed the Desians holding onto Lloyd and Noishe. He then stepped forward and slashed the three holding onto Anna. Anna got to her feet at once and tried to make a run for it, but Kvar grabbed hold of her left arm and twisted it painfully behind her back.

"Stay where you are!" Kvar yelled. "Or I will kill her right where she stands!"

Kratos stopped and turned to face Kvar, hatred reflected in his eyes. "You will let her go, Kvar," said Kratos, menacingly. "Or I vow I will send you straight to hell before you can take your next breath."

The two men glared at each other, challengingly. The rest of the Desians had pulled their weapons but did not move without Kvar's instruction. It was a strange situation for them. Were they to obey their lesser Lord or the greater Lord? Kvar looked around, figuring out his situation, and then his face twisted into a grin.

"Very well," he said, with a false innocence. "I know when I'm outmatched. You can have the woman back, if it is your wish…"

Kratos lowered his sword a fraction of an inch and his eyes widened slightly.

"…but the Exsphere stays."

Before anything else could happen, before Kratos could make any move to prevent it, Kvar took hold of Anna's Exsphere and tugged violently. It ripped from her skin in a gush of red blood. Anna screamed and collapsed, cradling her hand.

"Anna!" Kratos yelled, horrified.

"Yes," said Kvar, his eyes only on the jewel in his hand. "Yes! After all these years, it's finally…"

Kvar's thought were disrupted by a loud, shrieking scream. Anna was on her knees, holding her bleeding hand and screaming in pain and horror. But the screaming didn't stop. Her entire body felt electrocuted. Endless shockwaves of unbelievable agony surged through her. Her gut was expanding, pulling her this way and that. Her skin was stretching, expanding, contorting into grisly, ugly form. Her bones cracked as they stretched and warped into strange grotesque shapes. Her screams were turning into loud wails that didn't sound remotely human. She was beyond insane now. Only one thought echoed in her destroyed mind.

_Kill_.

The monster let out a loud wail and swung its massive claw. It caught Kvar in his chest and hurled him at least twenty feet away and slamming him against a tree, his precious Exsphere slipping from his fingers. Several panic-stricken Desians charged forward, their swords raised, but the monster caught them all with a swing of its arm and threw them off the edge of the cliff, their dying screams echoing the whole way down.

Only a few feet away, Kratos stared at the scene before him, his heart empty with disbelief at what he had just seen. It couldn't be true. This horrible thing…this monster…was all that was left of his Anna? It couldn't be. He wouldn't believe it.

"A-Anna," he said, his voice frightfully weak. "Anna…stop."

The monster shrieked and swung at several more Desians, sending them flying.

"Anna please," said Kratos, drawing nearer. "Please…you must calm down! I will help you, Anna, just…."

But the monster swung its mighty claw again and caught Kratos squarely in the chest. He was thrown backwards, skidding in the dirt until he finally came to a halt. He lay there for a moment, the wind knocked out of him, and coughed onto the ground. Blood sprayed from his mouth

_Anna…no_, he thought dully, overcome with terror and misery. _Not Anna…this can't be Anna…please…_

The monster twisted around in madness wailing and shrieking. But then another sound suddenly caught its attention. It twisted around and faced Lloyd. He was kneeling on the ground screaming in fear and confusion, wondering where his mother and father were and why were they not here to comfort him. The sound of Lloyd's cries irked the monster. It roared and made for the child. Kratos looked up just in time to see it raise its giant claw.

"LLOYD!" Kratos screamed.

As the monster swung its claw down to put an end to the child, Noishe darted forward and sank his teeth deep into the monster's other arm. The monster wailed in pain and red blood seeped from the wound. Noishe forced his teeth deeper into the monster's flesh, growling. The monster took hold of Noishe with its other arm and threw him bodily away towards the edge of the cliff. Noishe lay there, whining, and did not get up again.

"Noishe!" Kratos yelled, forcing himself to stand and tried to run to Noishe's side, but the monster blocked his path. It was clutching at its injured arm and groaning, making strange noises.

_**"Ahh…ohhh…urggg!"**_

Kratos tried to move around the creature, but it stayed firmly in his path.

**"**_**Urgg…ahh…K…Kra…tos…!"**_

Kratos froze and stared at the creature. It had just spoken and, beneath the terrible wailings, he could hear Anna's voice.

_**"Kra…tos….Please…you must…stop me…!"**_

"Anna!" Kratos called to her, heart wrenchingly. "Anna, hold on! I will get you back to normal. I will save you Anna, I swear it!"

_**"Ahh…AHH…Kratos…kill…me…"**_

"Wh-what?"

_**"You have…you must…please…please kill me…the only…way…"**_

"No," said Kratos disbelievingly, his heart breaking at the very idea. "I couldn't…I could never…You can't ask me to do that!"

_**"Please Kratos…I…I don't want to hurt Lloyd! Ah…Ahh…AHHHH!"**_

The monster let out a howling shriek and suddenly all traces of Anna's voice were gone. It roared and lashed out again, consumed by madness. Lloyd was still crying and was now crawling towards the edge of the cliff where Noishe lay wounded. "Nosh…Nosh!" Lloyd sobbed.

The monster heard Lloyd's cries and turned on him once again. This time it was Kratos that stood between him and the monster, his sword drawn. In those few seconds before the monster attacked, Kratos closed his eyes and two tears fell down his face. The first tears he'd shed in over four thousand years.

_"I'll never regret meeting you, Kratos. Never."_

In one swift movement, Kratos swung his sword and ran it clean through the monster's chest. The monster let out a loud, screaming groan and it slumped forward, almost crushing Kratos under its weight. But Kratos stood strong, both hands keeping a firm grip on the sword, watching as its blood spilled from the wound, staining the blade and his hands.

Suddenly, the monster began to shrink. The claws sank back into the form of human hands, the bulb of a head turning back into a human face and short brown hair, and the end of Kratos' sword was now plunged deep into the body of the woman he'd loved most in all the world.

Kratos took one hand off his sword and pulled Anna into a half-embrace, burying his face in her sweet-smelling hair, drenching it with his tears. Anna's eyes were still open, blinking slightly to show she was still alert, but her blood was now spreading all down her clothes and spilling to the ground. She blinked sightlessly and her mouth opened a little as she tried to speak.

"…it's…okay," she whispered. "It's…okay…"

"Anna!" Kratos wept, clutching her to him. "Oh, Anna, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! Forgive me, please!"

"It's okay," Anna breathed again, leaning heavily on his shoulder. "You…kept your…promise….everything…will…be okay."

"I love you," Kratos breathed, kissing her head. "I love you."

Anna sighed and leaned into his embrace, wishing she could feel his arms around her again, but she couldn't feel anything now, not even pain. Kratos got to his knees and very carefully laid her down to the ground, and removed the sword that was still within her.

"Mommy? Mommy?"

Kratos looked up through streaming eyes. Lloyd was staring at his mother, his face contorted with terrified disbelief. "Lloyd," Kratos groaned. This was the last thing he wanted his son to be seeing. He glanced down and saw Lloyd had something clutched in his tiny fist. _The Exsphere!_

A loud groan awakened Kratos from his misery. He twisted around to see Kvar getting to his feet. "E-Exsphere," he hissed. "G-give it to me!"

Kratos' sorrow was suddenly replaced by a more powerful emotion. Hate. Burning, unquenchable hate welled up inside him as he faced the man responsible for this. The one what had given Anna that Exsphere in the first place.

"You," he snarled, raising the sword stained with the blood of his love. "_You…!_"

Kvar sensed the attack and raised his staff high. "Spark Wave!" he cried.

Lightning filled the air in dazzling, rapid currents. Kratos lowered his sword and yelled, "Guardian!" A shield of mana rose up and protected him from the shower of electricity as it hissed through the air. When the attack stopped, Kratos heard a crumbling sound from behind him. He spun around and felt himself go numb with horror.

The lightning attack had caused the cliff to collapse behind him. Anna's body…Noishe…the Exsphere…and…

"LLOYD!" Kratos screamed. "LLOYD! NO!"

Kvar attacked again and the rest of the Desians that had survived the monster were rising up too. Kratos took his sword and hacked them all, everyone who came at him. He didn't care what he was doing. His mind was empty but for one thought.

_I have to get down the cliff! I have to get down the cliff! I have to find Lloyd!_

Just as the last of the Desians fell beneath Kratos' blade, Kvar came up behind him and swung his staff hard at the back of Kratos' head. It hit him hard in the back of his skull and then there was only darkness.


	20. Over

**Ying-Fa: Before anyone asks or tries to flame me, I invented Dwarven Vow #22. I wonder if they're all listed somewhere...?**

Dirk Irving placed the last long into his wheelbarrow and wiped the sweat from his brow. He'd been out in the forest cutting wood since early that morning and, as he looked up into the sky, saw that he'd finished just in time. The dark clouds in the sky were on omen for rain and, if he started now, he would make it back home in time before the down pour fell upon him.

The dwarf picked up the handles on his wheelbarrow and pushed it forward, grunting under the strain of the weight. He never really enjoyed trips into the forest much. It was full of monsters and easy to lose your way, but business called for such trips. Certain metals worked best when heated by certain types of firewood and this forest happened to be a plentiful place for specific woods. Still, it was the one part of being a smith that tried his patience. But he did his part nevertheless. Dwarven Vow #22 "Speed for Mediocrity, Sacrifice for Excellence."

Thunder rumbled over his head and the dwarf grumbled as he pushed the wheelbarrow with all the strength in his large arms. Perhaps he ought to hire someone from the village to come by and do these kinds of jobs for him. He'd been thinking about taking on an apprentice for awhile now. Maybe this was some kind of sign. The rumbling continued and then a new, much louder sound reached his ears. The sound of falling rocks crashing nearby. Had the cliff collapsed? Dirk dropped his wheelbarrow and went to investigate.

As he approached, Dirk heard a strange sound reach his ears. It sounded like a wounded animal, a dog, nearby. He hurried forward. But as he rushed through the trees, he saw something that made his heart jump in fear. It was a Desian, lying dead on the ground. It looked like he'd fallen off the cliff. Dirk had nothing to do with the Desian filth that lived in this forest but he pressed on. As he reached the clearing, he saw a sight that left him stunned.

An animal the likes of which he had never seen was laying on its side at the bottom of the cliff, badly injured, and licking the hair of a small human child lying beside it. Dirk hurried over to the child, worried that the creature was some kind of monster about to devour it. The creature looked up as he drew near and made eye contact with him. In that instant, Dirk could feel that the creature was benign and there was a kind of wisdom behind those eyes. It was definitely not the look of a monster. Dirk drew closer and glanced down at the child. A little boy, no older than three, was lying on the ground with a gash on his head. Dirk brought his hand down to touch the child and could feel his little heartbeat and his lungs still breathing. He clearly must have fallen, yet he had survived? The dwarf looked down and saw something clutched in the little boy's hand. He gently pried his fingers apart and examined it.

"An…Exsphere?" he murmured, recognizing it.

"…Lloyd…"

Dirk twisted around. A young woman was lying a few feet away, covered in blood. "Oi!" Dirk cried, hurrying over to her. "Are you alright?"

"…the…Desians…they…for that Exsphere…" it seemed a monumental effort for her to continue speaking.

"Now, don't talk," Dirk told her firmly. "The Desians did this, you say? Don't fret now, twill be alright."

There was a whine behind him and Dirk saw the creature from before approach the woman and look over her sadly. "Noishe," she whispered, looking up at it. "Thank you…Noishe…"

"No, you mustn't speak," Dirk insisted. "You'll be fine, now."

The woman looked over at him and he saw nothing but desperation and oncoming death in those eyes. "My name…is Anna…" she whispered. "Please…please, my…my son…Lloyd…"

"That boy is yours?"

"Keep…him away…from…the Desians…..just…look after him…. His father…"

"The child's father? Where is he?"

"…comes…please watch…my son…Lloyd…"

"Oi!" Dirk cried, seeing that he was losing her. "Wait! Hang on!"

But it was no use. As he sat there and watched, the last bit of life drained from the woman's eyes and all the was looking at was a corpse. Dirk's heart went out to her and he said a silent prayer for her soul and that she might know peace. He then looked around at the helpless little child lying a few feet away, and suddenly his mind was set. Dwarven Vow #2 "Never Abandon Someone In Need."

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

The heavy clouds and occasional grumbles of thunder soon lead to a downpour of rain that drenched the Iselia forest in a matter of minutes. It was the rain that awoke Kratos from unconsciousness and, immediately upon awakening, he descended the cliff. Kratos didn't have any idea how long he ran through the dense woods, calling Lloyd's name, and would never recall exactly for the rest of his days. He wandered around, the rain washing away anything that might have led him to his son, and crying out for Lloyd and Noishe. He did not bother calling for Anna. Though she had still been breathing when he last saw her, he knew she would not have returned to her human form unless the wound he'd given her had been a fatal one.

As he searched, Kratos saw a group of wolves gathered around something lying in the ground, tearing at it with their teeth. Kratos' heart stopped and he ran forward, drawing his sword.

"Get away!" he roared, brandishing his blade at the beasts. He struck one down and the rest scattered away but, as he looked down, he saw that it had been one of the Desians Anna had thrown off the cliff, his body almost completely devoured. Although relieved that it wasn't Lloyd, Kratos turned away, his insides squirming in disgust. If this was the fate of the Desians, then what was the fate of his son?

Kratos kept looking, kept calling, but before long he could go no further. Noishe wouldn't have ignored him like this. Odds are that his old friend was dead along with his family. Kratos slumped up against a tree and slid down to a kneeling position. There was no use in looking anymore. Lloyd wasn't here. There was no way that his son could have survived the fall and the forest all alone. Better he stop searching now and spare himself having to look upon his child's corpse as well.

Warm drops fell down his face along with the rain. Everything was gone. Everything he'd come to love, everything he had been fighting for, was now destroyed. His family was dead, it was his fault, and nothing more could be done. He would never hold Anna again; he would never hear Lloyd's voice…

…everything was gone.

"Kratos!"

He flinched at the sound of someone calling his name. He used what little will and strength he had left and looked over her shoulder to see who it was. He blinked in numb surprise when he saw who it was.

"Yuan?" he whispered. How long had it been since he'd seen him?

Yuan drew closer, cautiously. Kratos could tell from just the look on his old friend's face that he knew what had happened. Yuan continued to draw closer and he gazed down at Kratos with all the pity and sorrow he had. Kratos lowered his eyes to the ground, wanting only to sit where he was until he died. But when he felt Yuan take hold of his arm and wrap it around his neck to pull Kratos into a standing position, he did nothing to stop him. Yuan then silently guided Kratos out of the woods. Kratos had a vague idea of where Yuan was taking him, but he no longer cared where he went. He found it hard to care about anything anymore.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Yggdrasill watched as the guards brought Kratos in. He'd been willing to give Kratos the benefit of the doubt. All those horrible things that Kvar had said couldn't possibly have been the truth, but now that Kratos was brought in and kneeling at is feet he felt his faith in his old mentor shatter.

"You've been gone a long while, Kratos," he said simply, as though his old friend was only gone a few hours rather than years. "What were you doing all this time?"

Kratos said nothing at all. He knelt on the ground, his head bowed so that his face was hidden by his red hair.

"What were you doing all this time?" Yggdrasill repeated, standing from his throne and moving closer. "You see, Kratos, from what I hear you've been off doing some very selfish things. _Very_ selfish, indeed. You see, I've been hearing things like…oh, you were the one who helped the girl from Kvar's Angelus Project escape, that you've been plotting to overthrow me, I've even heard some _very_ unsettling things about some kind of child? _Your_ child…with that woman…is any of this true?"

Still, Kratos did not speak. Yggdrasill shrugged.

"It's a testament of how much I trust you, Kratos, that I'm even asking you these questions at all," he carried on. "Where some would just listen to all of this and accept it as the truth…I'm willing to find out just what _actually _happened."

"Lord Yggdrasill?" said Yuan, carefully. Yggdrasill ignored him and advanced on Kratos.

"I give you eternal life, I give you ultimate power, I give you anything anyone could ever want…and you go and do something like this?" Yggdrasill said when he was only a foot away from Kratos. "Going gallivanting through the declining world with some filthy human woman and having filthy human children? It's so unlike you Kratos. I really can't see you doing something like this. You, who left the human world behind, are above such vile actions. Surely, you…" Yggdrasill stopped when he looked down at Kratos again. What he saw shocked him incredibly.

"What…? Kratos, are you…? Why are you…crying?"

Streams of tear were falling down Kratos' face and falling onto the stone floor of Yggdrasill's throne room. He didn't care if Yggdrasill saw them or not, he was too full of misery and loss to try and hide how he felt.

Yggdrasill saw the raw emotion from Kratos and stared at him, transfixed. "You…" he said in disbelief, sounding very much like the little boy he had been when Kratos first met him. "Kratos…you…it's not…it's all…true? That woman…you really did…"

When Kratos still refused to speak, Yggdrasill knew that his silence meant consent. But he wasn't moved by Kratos' misery. All he felt was complete and absolute rage.

Yggdrasill leaned forward, grabbed the front of Kratos' shirt and punched him across the face with all the power he possessed. Kratos skidded across the room and, when he didn't get up, Yggdrasill went over to him and began hitting every bit of him he could find.

"H…HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO US!" Yggdrasill screamed like a child, still attacking his old teacher. "HOW COULD YOU FORSAKE EVERYTHING WE'VE WORKED FOR! HOW COULD YOU! _**HOW COULD YOU!**_"

"Lord Yggdrasill!" Yuan cried, running over and trying to pull Yggdrasill off Kratos.

"AFTER EVERYTHING I GAVE YOU," Yggdrasill went on, fighting off Yuan while continuing to attack Kratos. "I MADE YOU THE ORIGIN SEAL! I GAVE YOU EVERLASTING LIFE! YOU'RE NOTHING WITHOUT ME! IF I HADN'T CARED ABOUT YOU, YOU'D HAVE ROTTED INTO DUST YEARS AGO!"

"Yggdrasill, calm down!" Yuan insisted, fighting harder to restrain his master.

"I MADE YOU! I MADE EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE! I MAKE THE WORLD WHAT IT IS! EVERYTHING IS ACCORDING TO MY PLAN! HOW DARE YOU DEFY ME! YOU SAID YOU WOULD NEVER BETRAY ME, I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING ANYONE COULD WANT AND _**THIS **_IS HOW YOU REPAY ME!"

"MITHOS, STOP!" Yuan screamed.

"YOU'RE NOTHING! YOU HAVE NOTHING! YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE _THEM_ ANYMORE! YOU SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE! YOU KILLED THEM JUST FOR BEING NEAR THEM! THEY'RE DEAD AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF _YOU!_"

But as Yggdrasill's arm came down again to strike another blow, Kratos' arm came up and caught it tightly in his grip. Yggdrasill froze, stunned by the sudden movement. Kratos lifted his head slightly to look Yggdrasill in the face. The bruises and marks from the beating were already starting to form on his face, but the look on his face was fierce and angry as though the wounds weren't even there.

"You think," he whispered. "That I need _you_ to tell me what I've done? You think I don't know what I've done to them? Can you even fathom what this like? To know what I did to them…to Anna…to Lloyd…"

Kratos lowered his head again. Yggdrasill's rage peaked again and he threw Kratos bodily across the room.

"TAKE HIM AWAY!" Yggdrasill screamed. "Lock him away where I won't see him! And you are never, NEVER, to allow him to take his own life!"

The terrified guards did as they were told without argument. They grabbed Kratos and dragged him away and locked him in a cell in Welgaia. Angelic guards disarmed him and kept close watch over him, as Yggdrasill ordered.

Kratos didn't care in the slightest. He no longer cared what happened to him anymore. He never thought about killing himself. Death would be a way out, the move of someone weaker and more cowardly than himself. No, he was willing to stay alive and endure the everlasting sorrow that life would present to him from this moment onward. He would bear this guilt for the rest of his life, no matter how abnormally long it would be.

Worse still, he couldn't even wish that things were different. He couldn't wish that he'd never met Anna. Meeting her and loving her were memories that were just far too precious to wish that they'd never happened. And if he hadn't loved Anna, they would never have had Lloyd. Poor Lloyd. His poor son. He'd lived only three years. A time span so horribly short that it was merely a pinprick in the vast reaches of time. His son was just another life that had entered this world and hadn't made any impact on the world. Time would move on cruelly and the world would never know that Lloyd existed.

But _he_ would would know, and be the only one how knew, that Lloyd had been here. Lloyd had been that one life, in thousands of years and millions of lifetimes, that had needed _him_ to survive. That one and only life that was now gone forever. But he had existed. Kratos knew he had. And he would remember it until the day he breathed no more.

Not far from where Kratos sat in his cell, Yuan stared at what had become of his old friend. He sighed heavily. "I may not know the full extent of what you're going through, Kratos," he said, gazing down at the silver ring on the third finger of is left hand. "But I am at least familiar with your pain and I do feel sorry for you."

Yuan turned and vanished from Welgaia with a swish of his cloak. He transported to the Triet Desert, to a hidden Base that he'd come to know so well. _You went about things all wrong, old friend_, he thought as he entered the stronghold. _You played your cards too close to your chest. In the end, your rebellion failed._

Armed men in helmets and swords similar to those of the Desians, looked as Yuan marched through the stronghold to the control room. The Renegades standing vigilantly as their leader passed them by. Once in his main office, he saw one of his oldest and strongest henchmen waiting for him inside.

"Well, sir," he said as Yuan approached. "Are we continuing as planned?"

"Yes," Yuan told him. "Kratos is imprisoned and, odds are, Yggdrasill won't release him until it's time for the Chosen to receive the Oracle. We'll just have to wait. Our time is coming, Botta. We're almost there."

"Yes, sir."

Yuan stared off into the distance, his mind still on Kratos. _Rest assured, Kratos. __**My**__ rebellion will succeed. And by the time this is all over, you will join your family._

**Ying-Fa: Don't give up on me yet. There's still one more chapter (a glorified epiloge, really) still to come. I hope to see you all there!**


	21. Iselia

Iselia- 4 years later

The village was enjoying the first of a new, bright spring season. The people were running their businesses, coming and going, as any normal village would. Perhaps more so, because Iselia was the only village with a non-aggression treaty with the Desians. The mayor and the Cardinal in charge of the Iselia ranch had come to an agreement and the village had been able to live in peace.

The treaty had mostly been made to protect, not only the village, but the most important person inside the village, inside Sylvarant, even. Colette Brunel, the Chosen One, was nearing 6 years old now and was full of promise. The village, as well as all of Sylvarant, was putting all its faith in Colette. After the failure of the last few Chosen, they were determined that Colette be the first to succeed and save the world.

Unfortunately, looking after the Chosen wasn't so easy . . .

"CHOSEN ONE! Please come down from there!"

Phaidra, the priestess of the Church of Martel and grandmother of the Chosen One, was calling up to her little granddaughter. Colette had somehow managed to climb up a large tree and was scooting precariously towards the edge of a branch with something clutched in her tiny hand.

"Chosen One, please be careful!" called the Chosen's father, Frank. "You'll fall if you're not careful."

But Colette appeared to be oblivious to the cries of her family below. She continued on her way towards the edge of the branch, using only one hand. After a moment, she found what she was looking for. A bird's nest was sitting carefully at the very end of the branch on which she was sitting. Colette smiled to herself and scooted even nearer to the nest.

"Chosen One, please!" cried Phaidra. Now several of the other villagers were gathered around and were gaping up at the little girl with apprehensive looks.

Colette didn't pay any attention to her grandmother. She was too focused on her task at hand. After a moment, she was finally within arm's reach of the nest. She then looked down at her other hand. A tiny, baby bird was nestled in her palm, chirping weakly.

"There, there," Colette cooed to the little bird. "It's alright. I brought you home." She then leaned forward and placed the baby bird inside the nest. The bird chirped awhile longer and settled into the leaves and twigs of the nest, glad to be back.

Colette smiled, her task complete. She then made her way back towards the trunk. It seemed much easier now that she had both hands to support her. Once she was back up against the trunk of the tree, she lowered her leg to the branch below and prepared to climb down.

Sadly, her footing wasn't good enough. Colette slipped on the branch and lost her balance. Before the horrified eyes of all the watching villagers, Colette let out a cry of fear and began to topple out of the tree. Colette shrieked as she fell, smacking into branches and finally . . .

A hand, small yet strong, snatched her wrist before she could go any farther. Colette dangled there for a few seconds, stunned, and then she glanced up at the person holding her.

A boy, a little older than her, was hanging onto another branch with one arm and both legs. He was dressed all in red and had brown hair and dark brown eyes. He was smiling down at her.

"Gee, you're really clumsy," he said. "You know, you shouldn't climb up a tree if you aren't sure that you can get back down."

Colette blinked. The boy had called her clumsy. Nobody ever called her clumsy before. Even though she did fall down a lot, he was the first one to actually say it aloud.

"Can you not get down all by yourself?" the boy asked. "Don't worry, I'm a good climber. I'll help you down."

With the boy keeping a firm grip on her hand, he guided Colette down the tree again, branch by branch. Only when she had both feet safely planted on the ground did the boy leap out of the tree and land perfectly on his feet, like an acrobat.

"Wow," Colette said, quietly. "You're . . . amazing!"

The boy blushed a little and smiled shyly. "Aw, it's nothing."

"Chosen One!" cried Phaidra. "Oh, thank heavens you're not hurt."  
"I'm alright Grandmother," Colette insisted, as Phaidra and the other villagers came over to fuss over her.

"You must be more careful, Chosen One," said the Mayor. "If something should happen to you before you receive the oracle . . ." he shuddered. "Please don't make us any more concerned then we already are, Chosen One. We . . ."

"Hey!" barked the boy. "She just got stuck up a tree is all! You don't have to be so mean."

The Mayor glared at the boy. "I take pride in knowing all of the people in this village, young man, and yet I don't know who you are."

"I'm me," the boy snapped.

"You should have more respect for your elders," the Mayor said harshly. "Where are your parents? Why aren't they keeping an eye on you? I should tell them to . . ."

"Just a minute, Mr. Mayor. He's mine."

The Mayor turned. "Dirk?"

Everyone twisted around where they stood to see a broad, dark-skinned dwarf trumping forward.

"Dad!" cried the boy. He ran over and hugged Dirk around the waist. Dirk smiled down at him, and then raised his head to glare at the Mayor, his blue eyes sparkling from beneath his bushy eyebrows and beard.

"Yours?" said the Mayor, obviously confused. "What do you mean?"

"What's the matter?" Dirk asked. "Can't you see the family resemblance? This is my son."

"Your . . . son?" said the Mayor. "But . . . that's a _human_ child!"

"So?" Dirk said, cheekily.

"So, how . . . it . . . it doesn't make sense . . ."

"Hm," Dirk huffed. "I journey to the village for a simple delivery and the minute I get here, my family gets harassed? Hospitality here in Iselia is as toasty as the breath of Celsius."

"N-no, no, Dirk! I only meant . . ."

Colette had been standing beside her grandmother as the whole commotion broke out. At this point, however, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She looked and found herself face-to-face with the boy.

"Hey, do you want to get out of here?" he asked.

"Huh?" said Colette.

"You gotta be bored listening to the grown-ups talking," he said, smartly. "Come on, let's go play!"

Colette smiled at him. She thought it was strange how this boy treated her so differently than everybody else, but she liked it. "I'm Colette," she said, timidly.

"So that's your name," said the boy, cheerfully. "Cool! My name's Lloyd! Lloyd Irving."

"So . . . the dwarf from the forest really is your dad?" Colette asked, glancing over to where the Mayor and Dirk were still bickering.

"Uh huh," said Lloyd, happily.

"But how can a dwarf have a human for a child?" Colette asked, confused.

"He's not my real dad," said Lloyd, simply. "I don't have one of those. Dad found me at the bottom of a cliff in the woods with my Mom and Noishe."

"Who's Noishe?"

"My dog! He's kinda a scaredy cat, but once he sees that you're nice then he'll let you pet him. Do you wanna meet him?"

Colette's eyes widened. "I love doggies!"

"Then let's go!"

Lloyd ran off toward the village gates. Colette ran after him, laughing with delight. They were almost there when Colette's foot caught a rock in the road. She lost her balance and hovered for a moment, waving her arms like a windmill, caught between standing and falling.

As she started to crash, Lloyd spun around and caught her before she hit the ground. "Gee, you really _are_ clumsy," he said, with a tsk.

Colette blushed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," said Lloyd. "And don't worry. If you fall, I'll make sure I catch you, okay?"

Colette looked up into Lloyd's face and beamed. Lloyd grinned and took her by the hand again and led her to where his pet was waiting.

Neither of the two children could have known that that promise of Lloyd's would last for years to come. They could never have known that the two of them were destined to journey together down a long and dangerous path. That, together, they would break boundaries and fight to save their dying world. They couldn't have known that by the moment Lloyd first grabbed Colette's hand, that their fates were sealed . . .

. . . and they wouldn't know . . . not until Lloyd's true father returns.

**Ying-Fa: (sigh), I'm all done. Another story over. A blessing and a shame all rolled into one. It was so much fun writing this. I'm so very happy.**

**I feel so grateful! Thank you: Ying and Yang twins, Hunter Ka-Fai, oursolemnhour49, Captain Arbitrary, Ai Deidara, WhatAmISupposedToWriteHere, Dr. Horirble, Moonlight M3lody, Secondhand Soul, Lyte the Warrior, Daidairo, AngelofaWhiteNight, L.C. Li, Rayni, Yue Twili, Tare Tenipuri, and everyone who added this story or me to their Favorites/Alerts lists. This has been Ying-Fa-Dono. Goodnight and goodluck.**


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